IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Baseball America|February - March 2020
A sensational freshman season fosters expectations that Kumar Rocker is ready to meet
TEDDY CAHILL
IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The air in Hawkins Field crackled with a heightened anticipation on the evening of June 8 as Vanderbilt prepared to face Duke in Game 2 of the Nashville Super Regional. Duke had upset the hosts in Game 1, putting the Blue Devils one win away from their first trip to the College World Series since 1961. Standing in their way were the Southeastern Conference champions and freshman righthander Kumar Rocker, who were looking to force a decisive third game.

With his powerful fastball and hard slider working in tandem, Rocker was electric. Batter after batter went down swinging, unable to connect with his slider darting out of the zone. He would finish the night with 19 strikeouts and a no-hitter, the first-ever thrown in super regionals.

On the big stage, the 6-foot-4, 255-pound freshman captured the attention of the sports world in a way few, if any, college baseball performances ever have. Rocker followed up that historic night with two more outstanding starts in Omaha to help Vanderbilt to the national championship and win the CWS Most Outstanding Player award. He was also named Freshman of the Year after going 12-5, 3.25 with 114 strikeouts and 21 walks in 99.2 innings.

After his sensational season, Rocker spent the summer at Vanderbilt working out. The break from baseball gave him a chance to reflect on the spring but, even then, he didn’t revel in it.

この記事は Baseball America の February - March 2020 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Baseball America の February - March 2020 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

BASEBALL AMERICAのその他の記事すべて表示
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Baseball America

Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.

Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.

time-read
2 分  |
August/September 2024
ROAD BLOCK?
Baseball America

ROAD BLOCK?

Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha

time-read
4 分  |
August/September 2024
ROYALS REVIVAL
Baseball America

ROYALS REVIVAL

A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound

time-read
6 分  |
August/September 2024
SUMMER STANDOUTS
Baseball America

SUMMER STANDOUTS

The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft

time-read
7 分  |
August/September 2024
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Baseball America

FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10

Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.

time-read
6 分  |
August/September 2024
IN WITH THE NEW
Baseball America

IN WITH THE NEW

The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.

time-read
3 分  |
August/September 2024
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
Baseball America

WALCOTT BLASTS OFF

It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.

time-read
2 分  |
August/September 2024
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Baseball America

A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS

Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft

time-read
4 分  |
August/September 2024
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Baseball America

K.C.MASTERPIECE

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.

time-read
7 分  |
August/September 2024
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
Baseball America

HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS

When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.

time-read
2 分  |
May 2024