Vanderbilt Commodores

Former Vanderbilt Pitchers Make Spring Training Debuts

Texas Ranger pitchers Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker had different experiences in their 2025 MLB spring training debuts. Find out how the Commodores did here.
Taylor Hodges|
Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) throws to the plate during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field.
Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) throws to the plate during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt’s baseball program has produced an abundance of major league baseball talent. As MLB spring training continues, Vanderbilt currently has 26 players on major or minor league rosters and 15 major leaguers.

However, not many Commodores have remained teammates after leaving Nashville, Tenn. But two of its best pitching prospects are currently competing for spots in the Texas Rangers’ starting rotation. Former Vanderbilt pitchers Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker played together during the 2020 and 2021 seasons and are now expected be contributors on a team hoping to return championship-contender status.

Both Leiter and Rocker have made their spring training debuts for the Rangers with differing outcomes.

Leiter, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2021, pitched in two innings in his debut and didn’t allow any hits or walks while striking out one batter. His debut drew more attention for his fastball’s velocity than his stat line, as described by Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci in a recent column about “Eight Pitchers With Newfound Stuff in Spring Training”:

“Leiter averaged 98.8 mph on his fastball Saturday, up from 96.4 last year. He reached 99 mph three times in one inning, as many times as he did in 35.2 innings last year with the Rangers. He topped out at 99.9, a career high. The velocity on his slider and change also were up 2-3 mph.”

Rocker, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2022, didn’t have as good of a debut, though. Rocker allowed runs on four hits and one strike out in one inning against the Kansas City Royals. It wasn’t the performance a pitcher trying to make a starting rotation that includes Jacob DeGrom and Nathan Eovaldi wants, but it’s only his first inning of what is a long season.

Rocker has plenty of time to show his stuff and join DeGrom, Eovaldi and Leiter to form one of MLB’s best starting rotations.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

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.

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