You’ll never believe how bad NY Mets draft pick Kumar Rocker has been this spring

Kumar Rocker will be linked to the New York Mets in his own unique way. Drafted tenth overall in 2021, the team saw his medicals and freaked. They chose to leave him unsigned and allow the college standout to re-enter the draft a year later only for the Texas Rangers to snag him as the third overall selection.

Rocker made his MLB debut last season, going winless in 3 starts but posting a satisfactory 3.86 ERA and striking out 14 batters in his 11.2 innings of work. It was a strong showing and the beginning of what looked like a reckoning against all doubters.

This coming year was meant to be one for him to really dig his heels in as a contender for the Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately for him, this spring has been horrendous so far and it could cost him a roster spot.

Kumar Rocker doesn’t look like he’s ready for the regular season

A debut on February 25 against the Kansas City Royals included just one inning, 4 hits, 4 earned runs, a hit batter, and a single strikeout. He threw 22 pitches and left the mound with a bad first impression. No bother. It’s one game.

Days later on March 1, Rocker got another crack at it. This time versus the Milwaukee Brewers, he had a near repeat performance. Another 4 hits, 4 earned, a pair of walks, and a home run allowed gave Rangers fans a longer glimpse at him. Instead of 22 pitches, he labored for 38 of them.

Rocker’s rise through the Rangers’ system was quick, tossing 28 innings in 2023 and another 36.2 on the farm last season to go along with just under a dozen at the major league level. A concern back in 2021 when the Mets took him was how often he had been used at Vanderbilt. Just looking at those innings totals, the 122 in 2021 represents a large portion of the outs he has recorded in his career. Totally up all of the innings he has thrown in college, in Independent Ball, the minors, and majors, those 122 account for more than one-third of the 347.

Were the Mets right to escape paying Rocker with those red flags back in 2021? Two awful spring training starts won’t justify it especially when the player they took with the compensatory selection a year later was Kevin Parada who has been lost throughout his minor league career and not so productive this spring himself.

For the last half-decade+ there have been many young players Mets fans feared would grow into stars after getting traded away. None actually have quite yet. Rocker is in a class of his own as a high-profile draft selection the team let walk away due to health fears. Sitting on a 36.00 ERA after facing just 16 batters this spring is a sign we may still be further away from FOMO when it comes to Rocker.