It wasn't long ago that Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker was considered the consensus No. 1 prospect in the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft.
Now, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel is projecting Rocker to go No. 4 overall to the Boston Red Sox.
The slide, albeit a small one, likely is due to a number of factors, including Rocker's velocity dropping earlier this season and a couple of position players being linked to teams picking ahead of the Red Sox.
But Rocker would be a fascinating selection for Boston, as he obviously has tremendous upside and presumably would become the Red Sox's top pitching prospect immediately upon joining the organization. He would represent a much-needed infusion of mound talent, especially given the Red Sox's struggles to develop starting pitching in recent years.
Here's what McDaniel wrote in his mock draft published Tuesday on ESPN.com:
I wouldn't say that Rocker is exactly Chaim Bloom's type, per se, but there's widespread industry speculation that the Red Sox are likely to take Rocker if he's available, which he's expected to be. His velocity has rebounded a bit since dipping in March, but his last outing vs. Alabama was less than stellar.
Rocker is listed at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, a physically imposing frame that suggests he's well equipped to handle a starter's workload at the major league level. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the No. 3 prospect in the upcoming MLB draft, trailing only fellow Vanderbilt hurler Jack Leiter and high school shortstop Jordan Lawlar.
Rocker usually sits around 93-96 mph with his fastball and is said to supplement that effective heater with a devastating slider that generates ample swing and miss. Although consistency has alluded him at times, there's clear top-of-the-rotation upside with the 21-year-old right-hander.
McDaniel projects Lawlar and Leiter will go No. 1 and No. 2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers, respectively. He has Marcelo Mayer, a high school shortstop, going to the Detroit Tigers at No. 3.
The 2021 MLB Draft begins July 11, and this will mark the Red Sox's highest pick since selecting Mike Garman No. 3 overall in 1967.
