The Texas Rangers have a new top-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America, and a season-high four on the outlet’s updated Top 100 ranking.
And, get this: Three of them are pitchers.
Right-handed pitcher Kumar Rocker — who has made eight starts since his return from Tommy John surgery — is the No. 30 prospect in baseball and No. 1 in the Rangers organization according to Baseball America’s updated list. Shortstop Sebastian Walcott, who had previously been the organization’s top-ranked prospect, is listed at No. 55 ahead of right-handed pitchers Alejandro Rosario (No. 86) and Emiliano Teodo (No. 97). Only the Seattle Mariners (eight) have more Top 100 prospects among American League West teams.
Rocker, 24, has a 1.71 ERA in 31 2/3 minor league innings this season with 47 strikeouts to 4 walks. He made his Triple-A Round Rock debut on Wednesday vs. Oklahoma City, pitched five shutout innings, struck out 10 batters, allowed one hit and reached 99.9 mph with his fastball. The Rangers drafted Rocker third overall out of Vanderbilt in the 2022 MLB draft, and in 14 total professional starts since, he owns a 2.72 ERA.
Rangers
“Rocker has looked better than he has in years in his return from Tommy John surgery,” Baseball America wrote. “His fastball/slider combination is among the most impressive in the minors and should speed his arrival to the majors before too long.”
Related:Kumar Rocker, the indomitable Rangers prospect, is riding a wave of rediscovered rhythm
Walcott, 18, excelled at High-A Hickory this summer despite being one of the youngest players in the South Atlantic League. He has posted an on base plus slugging percentage of .831 or better in each of the last three months. He hit .320 in July, .293 in August and carries a .260/.346/.437 slash line with 10 home runs into the final month of Hickory’s season.
The Rangers signed Walcott out of the Bahamas to a $3.2 million bonus two winters ago. He has a .791 on base plus slugging percentage in 158 games since and, according to Baseball America, has been “one of the most exciting prospects in the game” since he settled in at High-A.
Rosario and Teodo might be neck-and-neck for the Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year award. Rosario — a 22-year-old whom the Rangers selected in the fifth round out of Miami in last year’s draft — has a 2.24 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings between Low-A Down East and High-A Hickory this season. Teodo, a 23-year-old native of the Dominican Republic who turned heads in spring training, has a 2.00 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings at Double-A Frisco this season. Both have fastballs that run in the mid-to-upper 90′s and can reach triple digits while Teodo has mixed in an upper 80′s slider with swing-and-miss ability.
Luke Wilson talks throwing first pitch at Rangers game, You Gotta Believe and moreQ&A with The Ticket’s Sean Bass: Longtime DiamondTalk host talks new gig, Rangers blues
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=66d74a38c4c84b83b6a82ba13df66449&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dallasnews.com%2Fsports%2Frangers%2F2024%2F09%2F03%2Fbaseball-america-top-prospects-texas-rangers-kumar-rocker%2F&c=736587163410389088&mkt=en-us
Author :
Publish date : 2024-09-03 06:35:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
