Why Vanderbilt First-Rounder Kumar Rocker Slid To Mets In MLB Draft

Kumar Rocker was not expected to be around when the New York Mets were on the clock in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft on Sunday.

The Vanderbilt pitcher, who was at one time considered in the running for the No. 1 overall pick (and then to the Boston Red Sox at No. 4 overall), was regarded as the No. 6 draft prospect on MLB.com. He was thought to be arguably the second best pitcher in the class.

And then the 6-foot-5, 245-pound right-hander slid to No. 10 overall where the Mets stopped him in his tracks.

So, why did Rocker slide down the board? ESPN’s MLB Insider Jeff Passan expressed Sunday after the selection it was likely due to finances. Rocker, Passan wrote, was “likely to get paid like a top 5 pick.”

News came Monday to all but confirm that suspicion. Rocker signed with the Mets for $6 million while the slot value for the No. 10 overall pick was $4.74 million. Rocker, essentially, signed for more than $1 million what others at that spot in the draft would have.

You may say, ‘What’s $1 million for these teams, right?’ Well, MLB teams have a limited amount of money they can spend on their top 10 picks in the draft. It means teams are not just selecting the best player on the board but trying to construct the draft while valuing their budget. For some teams, it leads to passing on an accomplished draft prospect like Rocker, who will take up a larger percentage of the team’s bonus pool money, compared to other, perhaps cheaper players that leave more of the pool money for those selected later.

Rocker went 14-4 with a 2.73 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 122 innings for Vanderbilt during the 2021 season.