Mets' Deal With 1st Rounder Kumar Rocker In Limbo

When the Mets drafted Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker with No. 10 pick in the MLB draft, it was seen as a steal.

But now, as the deadline for teams to sign their picks rapidly approaches this coming Sunday on August 1, Rocker's agreement with the Mets appears to be in jeopardy.

The Mets have shown concerns regarding the right-hander's elbow, which his camp disagrees with, creating a stalemate with just five days left to go before the 5 p.m. deadline, per Ken Davidoff of The New York Post.

According to Jack Ramsey of Metsmerized, the Mets initially flagged Rocker's medical issue during an examination last week.

The Mets and Rocker agreed to a $6 million signing bonus already, so at this point, they can either renegotiate to a smaller number, part ways altogether, or honor the agreement if the elbow issue is deemed not a high enough risk.

If the Mets cannot come to an agreement with Rocker, he could return to Vanderbilt next season for his senior campaign, leaving the Mets with a makeup pick, following the team with the 10th worst record in the 2022 draft.

Mets general manager Zack Scott declined to comment on Rocker's status on Monday, citing his wishes to wait until after the deadline.

Rocker started 39 of 42 games he appeared in at Vanderbilt, and never missed time due to injury.

At the moment, Rocker is not expected to need Tommy John surgery.