Ex-Vanderbilt Pitchers Make Opening Day Roster: The Anchor, March 26, 2025

A pair of former Vanderbilt pitchers have earned spots in a major league team’s starting pitcher rotation.
Ex- Commodores Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker were included on the Opening Day roster for the Texas Rangers. According to an Associated Press report, Leither will pitch in the Rangers’ second game of the season Friday against the Boston Red Sox. Rocker is set to start for Texas in its first road game Monday at Cincinnati. Leiter and Rocker took advantage of injuries to other starting pitchers, including Jon Gray and Cody Bradford to earn spots in the starting rotation.
Both Leiter and Rocker have already made their major league debuts last season and, for different reasons, have shown glimpses of their potential in spring training. Here’s how the former Vanderbilt pitchers during spring training:
Leiter: 1-0, 3.48 ERA, 20.2 IP, 22 H, 8 R, 21 SO, 10 BB
Rocker: 0-2, 9.00 ERA, 13 IP, 18 H, 13 R, 20 SO, 9 BB
Today’s Commodores Schedule
No games scheduled.
Yesterday’s Commodores Results
Baseball: No. 14 Vanderbilt 10, Eastern Kentucky 0
Men’s Golf: No. 19 Vanderbilt at 2025 Valspar Collegiate Invitational
Women’s Golf: Vanderbilt at 2025 Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate
Did You Notice?
Vanderbilt freshman Mikayla Blakes continued to cement her first year of collegiate basketball as one of the best ever for the Commodores after being named 2024-25 Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
Countdown to Vanderbilt’s 2025 Football Season Opener
157 days
Commodores Quote of the Day
"What my coaches have trained me to do is, if my first, second and third reads aren't perfect, I've still got to make a play—and in our offense, I should be able to."
Jay Cutler
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Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.