The 2022 MLB Draft had a huge shocker early on, with the Texas Rangers taking pitcher Kumar Rocker at #3 overall. Rocker, who had a very successful three year run at Vanderbilt University from 2019-21, was drafted 10th overall by the New York Mets in 2021, but the team pulled its reported $6 million offer due to concerns over Rocker’s medicals.
Per the beats, Rangers g.m. Chris Young addressed Rocker’s health from the outset today, saying that the organization was “extremely comfortable” with the medical review done. The medicals seemed to be the biggest question mark on Rocker, so if you are satisfied with the risk there, well, it would make sense you’d be comfortable taking Rocker early and paying him a large signing bonus.