Kumar Rocker Will Not Go Back to Vanderbilt After Failing to Sign With the Mets
When Kumar Rocker was unable to reach a deal with the New York Mets after being the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, the logical thought was that he'd go back to Vanderbilt, where he'd immediately become the most recognizable face in college baseball again — and now be able to capitalize upon that status monetarily. But according to Jeff Passan and Jon Morosi, that's not going to happen.
Obviously nobody really knows what's going on with Rocker's arm that caused the Mets to not sign their first round pick, but as a college baseball fan, it would have been great to see another season out of Rocker in the SEC if he was able to pitch. But it appears if Rocker is going to pitch in the first part of 2022, it will be overseas.
That would actually be appointment television, too. We all watched Korean baseball for a couple months before, you're telling me you wouldn't watch Rocker mow down guys for the NC Dinos? I'm in.
I'm sure he can make more doing that than returning to Vanderbilt even with NIL compensation, but it would have been pretty interesting to watch a top 10 pick go back to a college he'd already been at for three years and return to dominating guys. I don't remember that ever happening.
But at the end of the day, if you're telling me the Tennessee Volunteers have had to face Rocker for the last time, I'm not going to be too upset about it. Now we just have to wait another year and see where he lands in next year's draft.