The Texas Rangers are still in the hunt for a Wild Card berth this season. Despite being hit hard by injuries to the starting rotation, manager Bruce Bochy initially indicated that top pitching prospect Kumar Rocker would not get called up by the team for the September stretch run. However, the Rangers skipper quickly changed course, announcing that Rocker would be promoted and make his debut for Texas on Thursday.

Rocker will take on the offensively challenged Seattle Mariners in the first game of a four-game set in Seattle. And the excitement of making his first major league start hadn’t quite sunk in for the rookie right-hander. “It hasn't hit me yet… It probably won’t hit me until after the game,” Rocker said via MLB’s Cole Bradley on X.

The Rangers selected Rocker with the third overall pick in the 2022 draft. The year prior, Texas took fellow Vanderbilt starter Jack Leiter with the second pick in the 2021 draft. Leiter was called up to the majors earlier this year. Now the two former Commodores will pitch out of the same rotation for the Rangers. The idea of joining Leiter on the staff of the big league club brought a smile to Rocker’s face, per Bradley. “It’s super exciting,” he admitted.

Rocker is the organization’s second ranked minor leaguer and top pitching prospect, according to MLB.com. And he’s ranked 95th overall in the minors. Rocker has been terrific in the Rangers’ farm system this season. He’s posted a 1.96 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 36.2 innings of work. Rocker pitched across three levels in the minors this season. After dominating in Double-A with a preposterous 0.46 ERA and 0.61 WHIP in five starts, the young hurler was promoted to the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate

Rangers promote top pitching prospect Kumar Rocker

Jun 30, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) pitches in the first inning against the Mississippi St. Bulldogs at TD Ameritrade Park.
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Rocker checked yet another box with his performance for the Round Rock Express. He got two starts at the highest level of the minors and put up a dazzling 1.80 ERA with a 0.50 WHIP and a dominant 18 strikeouts in 10 innings of work. It’s a small sample size but the Rangers felt Rocker earned the call-up to the big league club.

The 24-year-old rookie has recovered nicely from Tommy John surgery. In 15 career minor league starts opposing batters are hitting just .190 against him. That average was down to just .118 in his two Triple-A starts.

The reigning World Series champion Rangers need all the help they can get from the starting rotation. The team should have Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom back from injury this month as the Rangers hold out hope they can return to the postseason.

Texas is 7.5 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West entering play on Wednesday. The Rangers are seven games back in the AL Wild Card standings with five teams ahead of them for the final playoff berth.