Vanderbilt’s Kumar Rocker & Spencer Jones Selected In 2022 MLB Draft

/in , /by

Kumar Rocker. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

For the second straight year a Vanderbilt superstar has been taken within the top five in the MLB Draft as Kumar Rocker was selected No. 3 overall by the Texas Rangers.

Rocker was selected No. 11 overall in the 2021 Draft by the New York Mets but was released due to health concerns raised by the Mets organization. He spent this past year training and playing with independent league team the Tri-City Valley Cats.

With the Valley Cats, Rocker had an ERA of 1.35 with 32 strikeouts and four walks in 20 innings pitched. At Vanderbilt, he had a 2.89 ERA in 42 games. He struck out 321 batters and had a WHIP of 1.001, according to Baseball Reference.

The former Commodore ace will be reunited with former teammate Jack Leiter who was drafted 2021 MLB Draft with the No. 2 overall pick.

Also drafted was 2022 Vandy star Spencer Jones who was selected by the New York Yankees with the No. 25 overall pick. He is now the 21st Vanderbilt player to be drafted under head coach Tim Corbin.

Jones was stellar for the Commodores in 2022, sporting a batting average of .370, fifth in the SEC. He also posted a team high .460 on-base percentage, placing seventh in the conference. An All-SEC second team honoree, Jones registered 21 multiple-hit games across the 2022 season. 

Rounds 1 and 2 of the MLB Draft concluded on Sunday evening and Rounds 3-10 will resume today (July 18).

Steven Boero
Latest posts by Steven Boero (see all)