Kumar Rocker is excited to get going with the New York Mets. Where he goes will be up to the Mets' player development group, as even with the pare down of minor-league affiliates, Rocker does already have 122 innings under his belt this season through the College World Series that just ended last month, and depending on when he signs ahead of the August 1 deadline, he'll have eight to 10 weeks of minor-league season ahead.
"Kumar had a very big workload, and typical of the kind of kid he is, he always took the ball and would pitch on short rest," Mets director of scouting Mark Tramuta said after Rocker's selection Sunday. "I'll leave that up to player development, to assess how much rest he needs and what his schedule would be so I really don't have that answer."
So, while we may not see Rocker in Brooklyn at the High-A level this year, Kumar is ready to make it to the bright lights of Queens.
"It's another animal, but that's what I feel like I was made for," Rocker said of making it to NYC. "I mean, it's New York to start off with and just there's a long line of people already in New York, right now, a lot of good pitchers and, hopefully, in the near future, just learn from them as much as I can, I think it's a blessing, as it is."
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Tramuta called Nashville the "New York City of college baseball," given Vanderbilt's stature as a factory of top professional pitchers and an oft-heralded program, so perhaps Rocker has a leg up.
"I think college was a perfect opportunity for that; I think there's a lot of things that the college experience has already given me; I've experienced everything from the highest highs to the lowest lows," Rocker said.
"Moving to New York, it's a bigger spotlight when I get to that point, and when I get that chance, I'm going to try to make the most of it."
Rocker pitched in two different College World Series with Vanderbilt – 2019 and 2021 – and noted that takes a lot, especially after a 2020 season of uncertainty. He was seen as a potential Top 3 pick perhaps, but dropping all the way to No. 10 doesn't motivate him any more to prove the doubters wrong – "I'm always motivated," he said – nor does it give the Mets any further incentive to push Rocker faster than perhaps normal.
"We want Kumar to have a long career here, and we want him to be the best Kumar he can be when he gets here," Tanous said.
So, perhaps 122 innings will be enough for Rocker, who threw just 15 in the shortened 2020 season and had limited run during the summer and fall.
"That's just something you have to be aware of; it's not often you get to take a year off and then come back into the season and expect yourself to throw 120 innings," Rocker said. "I think that's the biggest takeaway, is to be aware of it."
One thing is already clear: whenever, and wherever, it is, Mets fans are already looking forward to Rocker's debut in the organization.
"[The Mets] are getting a guy with a track record of winning," Rocker said. "That's all you can do in a sports game like this. That's what it's going to be continually going forward."
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