Kumar Rocker's Rapid Rise Won't Reach Majors Now, But He Has Shot At Texas Rangers 2025 Rotation

Kumar Rocker continues to impress the Texas Rangers coming off Tommy John surgery, but they won't rush him up to the Majors for multiple reasons.

ARLINGTON — For the past couple of months, Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has admired from afar Kumar Rocker’s rise to become the organization’s No. 1 prospect after Tommy John surgery last year.

Bochy appears content with that for now. He sees no benefit to the right-hander’s development in calling him up with just a few weeks left in the season.

“He’s where he should be as far as his development right now,” Bochy said before Saturday’s game with the Los Angeles Angels.

Rocker made his second Triple-A start on Friday, fanning eight in five innings as he allowed three hits and two earned runs. He also gave up a home run for the first time since his first rehab start in Arizona in early July.

Th 24-year-old has now pitched in 10 minor league games and has an 0-1 record with a 1.96 ERA in 36.2 innings. That includes 55 strikeouts and five walks while batters are hitting .180 against him.

Rocker’s return to prominence in the organization — he was recently named the franchise’s No. 1 prospect by Baseball America — has even surprised Bochy, who knew the former Vanderbilt star had good stuff.

“I go back to last year, last spring (training) and he’s not even the same guy right now,” Bochy said, calling Rocker’s slider a “plus-plus” pitch. “Nothing’s bothering him. You can see how free and easy his delivery is, his command and everything.”

Still, he’s coming off Tommy John surgery and is on a similar timetable to Jacob deGrom, Bochy said. The vet is on what should be his final rehab start on Saturday in Frisco. But deGrom is a Cy Young winner. Rocker hasn’t pitched a single Major League inning.

Last week, Rangers general manager Chris Young raved about Rocker’s development after his first outing with Round Rock, in which he struck out 10. He didn’t indicate the Rangers were considering a call-up and said that, like most young pitchers coming off his injury, Rocker would be on an innings limit, though Young didn’t indicate the limit.

"That's just getting too far ahead right now,” Young said about a potential call-up. “We just can't answer that question. He's had one Triple-A start. It's too far ahead.”

Assuming Rocker stays on a one-start-per-week schedule he would have two starts left.

And then? Well, Bochy knows he’ll see Rocker in February out in Surprise, Ariz.

“He’ll be in Major League camp and probably competing for a job,” Bochy said. “That’s how well he’s throwing the ball.”