Rangers Most Intriguing Non-Roster Invitee
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The Texas Rangers’ first-round pick has only made a handful of professional appearances going into Spring Training.
The Texas Rangers have plenty of non-roster invitees coming to Spring Training in Surprise, Ariz., next week. But one has caught the eye of CBS Sports.
The site wrote about the most intriguing non-roster invitee for each MLB team and the site selected the Rangers’ first-round pick from last July, pitcher Kumar Rocker.
Rocker’s only reps as a Rangers prospect have come in the Arizona Fall League, which is why he’s so intriguing, according to CBS Sports:
The Rangers have a really fun list of NRIs. No. 1 prospect Evan Carter will be there. So will veteran Danny Duffy, who did not pitch last season because of arm trouble, but is apparently healthy now. Righty Jack Leiter is one of the most famous prospects in the minors and he’ll be in camp as an NRI as well. I’m most interested to see Rocker, who has twice been a top 10 draft pick (No. 10 in 2021 and No. 3 in 2022) thanks in part to his physical fiasco with the Mets. Reports on Rocker last year were mixed. Which version shows up this spring? The version that was oh so impressive at Vanderbilt, or the one who has been more up and down the last year or so?
It was Rocker’s “physical fiasco” that allowed the Rangers to swoop in and draft him in July. Before that, Rocker was getting some professional experience with independent Tri-City in the Frontier League. Rocker went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in five starts, where he struck out 32 and walked four.
Rocker made six starts in the AFL, helping the Surprise Saguaros to the AFL title.
He went 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in six starts in Arizona, throwing 14 innings and giving up 12 hits with seven runs (all earned). He walked 12 and struck out 18.
Rocker, like the rest of the pitchers, will report to Surprise on Wednesday.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
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