As Rangers reportedly ink Kumar Rocker, Mets add eight players on second day of MLB Draft
Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) throws during the first inning in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals on June 30, 2021, in Omaha, Neb. Credit: AP/Rebecca S. Gratz
When it comes to righthander Kumar Rocker, the Texas Rangers did on Monday what the Mets decided not to do last year.
The Rangers agreed to terms with Rocker, the No. 3 overall pick in the MLB Draft, for a signing bonus of $5.2 million, according to the New York Post.
Last year, the Mets drafted Rocker with the 10th overall pick but decided not to sign him over concerns about the Vanderbilt product’s shoulder. Rocker ended up having arthroscopic surgery in August and re-entered the draft.
But the Mets aren’t looking back. After drafting four players on Sunday, they selected eight more on Monday in rounds 3-10.
“We plan on signing all the players,” said Tommy Tanous, the Mets’ vice president of amateur and international scouting. “I think it’s a very high percentage of players that you sign. But you’re still delving into the unknown. But we plan on signing them all.”
The Mets’ first pick of day two was third-rounder Brandon Sproat, a righthander from the University of Florida who already throws 100 mph.
“Throwing 100 is pretty good,” Tanous said. “I got to see him in one of his earliest outings. Terrific game. It’s, as we say, high-octane stuff. Not only is the velocity impressive, what’s more impressive is the movement on the fastball. Probably the best overall movement I’ve seen in the last few years. There’s a slider and a changeup. There’s a heck of a competitor and a tremendous athlete here.”
The rest of the day went as follows: fourth round, Jacob Reimer, a high school third baseman from Yucaipa, California, (the same school as Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker); fifth round, D’Andre Smith, a shortstop from USC; sixth round, 6-9 righthander Tyler Stuart from the University of Southern Mississippi; seventh round, Jonah Tong, a Canadian-born righthander from Georgia Premier Academy in Statesboro; eighth round, Dylan Tebrake, a righthander from Creighton who was the Big East Pitcher of the Year in 2021 and 2022; ninth round, Chase Estep, a third baseman from the University of Kentucky, and 10th round, Zebulon Vermillion, a righthander from the University of Arkansas.
The Mets don’t know yet if the pitchers they selected will end up as starters or relievers. Director of amateur scouting Marc Tramuta mentioned current big-leaguers Colin Holderman and Tylor Megill as draftees who made it through the minors with roles to be determined and have turned into valuable arms on the Mets’ staff, Holderman as a reliever and Megill (who is injured) as a starter.
“Those are great success stories,” Tramuta said. “Not only for the scouts, but player development as well. If you give them something that they can develop like that, that’s a huge win for everybody.”
On Sunday, the Mets took Georgia Tech catcher Kevin Parada at No. 11 overall and Texas high school shortstop Jett Williams at No. 14. In the second round, they selected Tennessee righthander Blade Tidwell (52nd) and D.C. high school outfielder Nick Morabito (75th).
The draft concludes on Tuesday with rounds 11-20.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
