Kumar Rocker isn’t pitching for the Mets, however throwing for an expert crew remains to be in play.
Rocker, who was surprisingly and controversially not signed by the Mets regardless of being the No. 10 choose in July’s draft, is figuring out each in California and Tennessee, close by the place he performed faculty baseball, his former coach advised reporters lately.
In keeping with Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin, Rocker — whom the Mets left unsigned due to medical issues over his bodily — is throwing off the mound and will pitch in an unbiased league this yr.
“Primarily based on my conversations with him, [Rocker] might be taking part in a bit of little bit of baseball this yr however it will be in an unbiased league, however I’m nonetheless unsure about that,” Corbin advised reporters Wednesday, according to the Tennessean. “These are the issues that he’s doing together with his advisement. However he’s doing effectively, he seems to be nice, he seems to be as nice as he’s ever appeared in my view over the past 4 years, he’s figuring out very effectively and he’s very a lot on the right track to be very wholesome and be pitching sooner or later. … Unlucky state of affairs, however he’s made the most effective of it.”
Rocker’s agent, Scott Boras, has mentioned the righty will re-enter the draft this summer season. Pitching in an unbiased league could be a approach for Rocker to each keep in form and show to MLB groups that his prized arm is wholesome. He may have returned to Vanderbilt for his senior season however opted in opposition to it.
“Kumar Rocker is trying nice,” Boras mentioned in November. “[He’s] throwing nice and we predict any person goes to be very fortunate and somebody could also be very unfortunate as to how issues prove for Kumar Rocker.”
In keeping with The Publish’s Mike Puma, the Mets by no means made Rocker a suggestion amid health concerns Boras repeatedly has mentioned aren’t primarily based the truth is. The Mets had constructed their complete draft round a big bonus for Rocker, so whereas they may obtain the No. 11 choose on this yr’s draft as compensation, they nonetheless have regrets about how issues performed out with the faculty famous person.
