Kumar Rock becomes 2nd Vanderbilt pitcher selected in top 10 of 2021 MLB Draft
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The Vandy Boys have done it again. For the third time in SEC history, a pair of teammates have gone in the top 10 of the MLB Draft.
The New York Mets selected Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker at No. 10 overall in the 2021 MLB Draft. Jack Leiter was selected No. 2 to the Texas Rangers. Leiter and Rocker join former Vandy teammates David Price and Casey Weathers (2007 MLB Draft) and Dansby Swanson and Carson Fulmer (2015) as the only pairs of SEC teammates to go in the top 10.
Rocker is coming off of a standout junior season. Rocker made first-team All-SEC this season, posting a 14-4 record and 2.73 ERA in 122 innings over 20 games.
Rocker won his first seven decisions of the 2021 season. In his first SEC start of the season, Rocker posted a season-high 14 strikeouts over 8.0 innings against South Carolina. Rocker had a complete game in the regular season against then-No. 4 and eventual College World Series champion Mississippi State.
There was some surprise that Rocker was still on the board at No. 10. ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan says Rocker is likely to get paid like a top-5 pick.
Kumar Rocker falling to the Mets with the 10th pick is a coup — and they’ll pay for it. While the top 10 has been full of guys signing for under slot, Rocker is expected to sign and likely to get paid like a top 5 pick. Mets are happy to get a player with his pedigree, ceiling.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 12, 2021
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
