The New York Mets on Sunday failed to come to a contract agreement with first-round draft pick Kumar Rocker before the deadline, and agent Scott Boras insists the team made a mistake.
Rocker, who starred at Vanderbilt, was taken with the 10th pick of the draft by the Mets earlier this month. Contract negotiations between the two sides fell apart following Rocker’s physical exam, when doctors expressed concerns with his pitching elbow. Boras has said there is nothing medically wrong with his client, and he reiterated that in a statement on Sunday.
Rocker started 20 games for Vanderbilt this past season and had a 2.73 ERA with 179 strikeouts in 122 innings. He was expected to be drafted much higher than 10th, but he slipped down the board due to financial demands. The Mets were said to be happy to pay above slot value for him, but that obviously changed following Rocker’s physical.
With no agreement reached, the Mets will get the 11th overall pick in next year’s draft as compensation. Rocker is now free to either return to Vanderbilt or pitch in an independent league before entering the 2022 draft.
More must-reads: