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Tim Corbin explains what makes Vanderbilt aces Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker so special
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Vanderbilt Commodores have a pair of elite pitchers atop their rotation in Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker.
Both guys are going to be high first-round picks when their time comes in the MLB Draft. But, for now, they have bigger fish to fry at Vanderbilt, leading the Commodores out of the Nashville Regional and into the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
On “The Jim Rome Show” this week, Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin was asked what made each of his star pitchers so special:
“I think what makes him special is he’s just very mature,” Corbin said about Leiter. “He’s on task. He gets into the facility and he’s moving toward what he needs to do. He’s very organized mentally. Off the field, he’s organized. He’s socially responsible. He’s just real. He’s a low-maintenance guy to coach. Now, he’s been privy to the fact that his dad is a former Major Leaguer, and a damn good one, too. And an uncle who was a Major Leaguer, too. He’s developed his own passion for the game.”
Corbin then went on to discuss Rocker, who is the son of former NFL player Tracy Rocker:
“Kumar is more animated on the mound. Jack is more internal,” Corbin said. “But when I think about those 2 guys, I think about how, as kids, they both sat in stadiums for long periods of time — Jack in baseball with his dad, Kumar in football with his dad. I just feel like the arena of competition is very natural for them. They don’t posture. There’s no B.S. They get inside a competition and they’re competing for one thing. They’re competing to win.”
Can Rocker and Leiter pitch the Commodores to another College World Series title? We’ll find out over the next couple of weeks!
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 14 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
