Rehab Central! Texas Rangers All-Star Third Baseman To Be Joined By Top Pitching Prospect In Frisco

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung starts a second rehab assignment Friday, along with pitcher Kumar Rocker, who will make his first minor league appearance since Tommy John surgery in May 2023.

Feb 21, 2023; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) poses for a photo during photo day at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports / Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — Kumar Rocker will join Josh Jung in Frisco Friday night.

The Texas Rangers top pitching prospect, who is recovering from May 2023 Tommy John surgery, will pitch in his first minor league game since May 11, 2023. He threw three rehab games in the Arizona Complex League, the last coming on July 19 when he allowed three runs on six hits in three innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Rocker, 24, was the No. 3 overall pick by the Rangers out of Vanderbilt in the 2022 MLB Draft. He was Vandy teammates with 2021 No. 2 pick Jack Leiter.

Rocker is rated the No. 3 prospect and top pitching prospect in the Rangers organization by MLB Pipeline. In six starts with High-A Hickory, he was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 28 innings in 2023 before the injury. Rocker is expected to throw two innings on Friday.

Jung, 26, is starting his second rehab stint after playing four games with Triple-A Round Rock in June before inflammation at the surgical site of his fractured right wrist forced him to rest for three weeks before swinging a bat. He was hit by a pitch in Tampa during the fourth game of the season and has been out since after having an intricate surgery to repair his wrist.

Jung is expected to play third for about five innings on Friday, according to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy.

Jung and Rocker are both beginning their rehab stints in Frisco because Round Rock is in Albuquerque, N. M., before returning home to host a series with Sugar Land at Dell Diamond on July 30.

Kumar Rocker hit 100 in his second inning of work. He’s showing FB/SL today. Up to 5 whiffs #StraightUpTX @ProspectTimes pic.twitter.com/AXCcbgiVtR

— Austin F. (@AustinF0421) July 20, 2024

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.

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