Boston Red Sox 2022 Draft Target: RHP Kumar Rocker

The Boston Red Sox should target Kumar Rocker in the 2022 MLB draft

This year’s draft looks slightly different from last year for the Boston Red Sox. Last year they had the fourth overall pick and were able to grab shortstop Marcel Mayer. He was the number one prospect overall and has been a welcome addition to the Red Sox farm system.

Mayer is currently hitting .282 with seven home runs on the year for the Salem Red Sox. He has been proving to everyone how big of a steal he was and gives the Red Sox a bright future at shortstop. His strikeout rate is a bit of a sore spot, but he will hopefully get that worked out.

This year, Boston is sitting in a much different position, 20 spots back from their spot last year with the 24th pick overall. While there are going to be plenty of young baseball players waiting to hear their names called, I believe the Red Sox should target Kumar Rocker if he happens to fall to them.

Last year Rocker was drafted by the Mets with the 10th overall pick, but they did not reach an agreement on a deal due to medical issues. With this, Kumar had the choice to return to Vanderbilt for his senior season, but decided against it and recently signed with Tri-City Valley Cats, and has been pitching with them.

In four appearances with the Valley Cats, Rocker has pitched 15 innings, recording a 1.80 ERA while striking out 25. He is showing how he can be as dominant as he was in his three years at Vanderbilt.

In his three years at Vandy, he had an ERA of 2.89 and averaged just under 8 strikeouts per game.

The injury concern that the Mets had with Rocker was an elbow issue, but it seems to me that his elbow is just fine. If Rocker is somehow still on the board when Boston is on the clock, then he should be their number one draft target.

Chaim Bloom has done one heck of a job rebuilding the Red Sox farm system where they have the ability to take the risk on Rocker.

In their Top 30 prospects, the Red Sox have Brayan Bello (RHP), Bryan Mata (RHP) Brandon Walker (LHP), Wikelman Gonzalez (RHP), Chris Murphy (LHP), Jay Groome (LHP), Josh Winckowski (RHP), Connor Seabold (RHP), Thad Ward (RHP), Kutter Crawford (RHP), Chih-Jung Liu (RHP), and Frank German (RHP).

The Red Sox have a plethora of pitchers in the farm system and could take this risk on a player who could have been number one overall.  Rocker would be a great pick for the Red Sox. In my eyes, he is worth whatever “risk” is involved with him.