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The Tri-City ValleyCats announced they are signing pitcher Kumar Rocker for the upcoming season.
Tri-City used to be the Astros’ short season single-A team, but became an independent baseball team just last year as a member of the Frontier League. They are located in Troy, N.Y., right outside of Albany.
Rocker spent three years as a standout pitcher for Vanderbilt, accumulating a 2.89 ERA in 42 games. As a freshman in 2019, he was named the College World Series Most Valuable Player thanks to a 0.96 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 28 postseason innings that was highlighted by a 19-strikeout no-hitter.
After Rocker declared for the MLB draft last spring, the Mets drafted him with pick No. 10 in the first round. However, the two sides failed to reach an agreement when the team was concerned over the health of Rocker’s right arm. To compensate for not signing Rocker, New York received another first round pick this year.
Instead of returning to Vanderbilt, Rocker opted to train on his own and re-enter the MLB draft this year. Playing for the ValleyCats will give him a chance to face live hitters as a showcase for MLB teams.
