Former Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker makes first start since May 2023 Tommy John surgery

Flirting with triple digits seemed to be the fad during former Vanderbilt baseball ace Kumar Rocker's rehab start on Friday.

The Texas Rangers' first-round pick of the 2022 MLB Draft pitched in an Arizona Complex League game with temperatures at 115 degrees in Glendale, Arizona. Rocker hit as high as 99 mph on his fastball in his first outing since having Tommy John surgery in May 2023, according to a report from Rangers Today.

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Rocker allowed a leadoff home run against the White Sox affiliate, but otherwise needed just 15 pitches to record six outs, allowing just two hits and striking out three in two innings.

“The reports were really good,” Rangers general manager Chris Young said. “The [velocity] was up to 99, and he sat 98. It’s very exciting. A big step for him.”

Kumar Rocker's recovery from Tommy John surgery

Rocker's path to a role in the majors has been rocky since his time at Vanderbilt. He was selected No. 10 overall by the New York Mets in the 2021 MLB Draft. But after they had verbally agreed on a $6 million signing bonus ― $1.4 million above the slot value ― the Mets backed off the offer after reviewing his medical information.

Despite not signing with the Mets, Rocker did not return to the Commodores, instead signing with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the Frontier League to prepare for the draft. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound starting pitcher also had shoulder surgery in 2021.

The Rangers selected Rocker as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, re-uniting him with Jack Leiter, his former Vanderbilt teammate. Rocker did not appear in a game with Texas in 2022, making his debut the following season with the High-A Hickory Crawdads, where he went 2-2, with a 3.86 ERA, 42 strikeouts and seven walks in 28 innings. On May 16, 2023, it was announced Rocker would require Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season.

According to Young, the organization is still weighing how far it wants to stretch out Rocker — at least three full innings — before promoting him to a full-season affiliate.

“I think he’s capable of building up to five innings,” Young said. “But we have to decide what the best thing is for Kumar.”