Jack Leiter reflects on Texas Rangers journey with Kumar Rocker ahead of former Vanderbilt teammates' MLB debut

If there’s an area more invested in Thursday night’s Rangers-Mariners game in Seattle than people in Dallas-Fort Worth and Seattle, it’s likely Nashville. Former Vanderbilt star Kumar Rocker is making his MLB debut after being the No. 3 overall pick of Texas in 2022. Supporting him from the dugout will be a familiar face in Jack Leiter, his partner in crime with the Commodores.

Leiter and Rocker dominated the college baseball world together. It’s as deadly of a weekend rotation as we have seen in the sport recently. Never would have they imagined pitching together on the same big league staff just a few years later.

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“It’s crazy, it’s crazy,” Leiter said. “If you told us we were in this position 12 months, two years, three years ago, on the same team in the same clubhouse, I don’t think we would have believed it.”

Initially, the Vanderbilt duo were eligible in the same draft. Leiter went No. 2 to the Rangers while Rocker was selected eight picks later by the New York Mets. When an arm issue meant there was no agreement between New York and Rocker, he played independent ball for a season before reentering his name in the MLB Draft.

Texas probably took a risk picking Rocker as high as they did in 2022. Seeing the right-hander undergo Tommy John surgery the following year certainly did not erase any questions had at the time.

Rocker has been nothing but “dominant” since his return from the injury, though. Double-A and Triple-A hitters have not stood a chance against him throughout his seven Minor League appearances in 2024.

In five starts in Double-A Frisco, Rocker put up 19.2 innings with a 0.46 ERA with nine hits allowed, 29 strikeouts, and just three walks. Jumping up to Round Rock was originally seen as his final test but two appearances resulted in 10.0 IP, two earned runs, 18 strikeouts, and one walk meant he got the call-up from Texas general manager Chris Young.

“Good so far,” Rocker said on his 2024 season. “Found my rhythm, look to keep my rhythm. Got to bounce around, meet a lot of cool people in a lot of cool states… I worked hard in the offseason, saw the results from it. I hope it keeps going.”

Even Leiter, who once saw Rocker throw a 19-strikeout no-hitter against Duke in a Super Regional, has never seen his new Texas Rangers be this dominant. He is ready to see Rocker go out there and test his stuff against Major League hitters.

“He’s never not been dominant,” Leiter said. “… From what I’ve seen — on video, I haven’t got to watch in person any of his outings yet — he looks like the best version of himself that we’ve ever seen. So, it’s exciting.”