The Texas Rangers‘ decision to take Kumar Rocker with the third overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft on Sunday night. It turns out that they may have been setting up the rest of their draft.
It also did not take long for Rocker to sign on the dotted line. According to Jon Heyman, Rocker has signed for a $5.2 million bonus.
Texas Rangers provide different draft experience for Kumar Rocker
This contract actually saves the Rangers some money. The third overall pick has a bonus allocation of $7,587,600, far more than Rocker signed for. In theory, the Rangers should be able to use those savings to add players that unexpected fell in the draft, possibly bringing them into the organization on an overslot deal.
It is also an entirely different experience for Rocker. He had been rumored to sign for a $6 million bonus when he was selected with the tenth overall pick by the Mets last year. Instead, he was never offered a contract after medical concerns ended the Mets’ pursuit.
The Rangers also built their entire draft class around Rocker. They do not have a pick in either the second or third rounds, forfeiting those selections to sign Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. Considering both players have made a drastic difference in the Rangers’ performance this season, those losses are more than acceptable.
Rocker may not be in the minors for long either. His strong showing in the Frontier League alleviated concerns about his health and his fluctuating velocity from his final season at Vanderbilt. That performance has some thinking that he could make his major league debut by the end of the year.
The Texas Rangers surprised everyone when they selected Kumar Rocker with the third pick. He is now signed, sealed, and delivered.