Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin: 'Wish we could use' Rocker, Leiter at Arlington tournament
For Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin, the season-opening College Baseball Showdown at the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field is even more special due to the presence of two program legends in Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, both first-round picks of the Rangers.
"It's knowing their organization and just kind of have a good feel," Corbin said Monday. "It creates a little bit of harmony that way. Wish we could use (Rocker and Leiter) that weekend. Eventually they'll be down there to watch us."
Leiter was drafted second overall by the Rangers in 2021. Rocker was drafted third overall in 2022 after originally failing to sign with the New York Mets a year earlier. Both players have been invited to major league spring training by the Rangers. Rocker was part of the 2019 national championship team and threw a 19-strikeout no-hitter during the super regional against Duke. Both Leiter and Rocker were consensus All-Americans during the 2021 national runner-up season.
The Commodores take on TCU on Feb. 17 (3 p.m. CT), Oklahoma State on Feb. 18 (11 a.m.) and Texas on Feb. 19 (10:30 a.m.) with all games on FloSports streaming.
"It's creating an Omaha-type field before the season even starts," Corbin said. " ... We're just glad to be a part of it, especially with two young kids who are part of (the Rangers) organization in Kumar and Jack Leiter. So I think that makes it just as exciting."
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Corbin wishes Rocker, Leiter could pitch for Vandy baseball at tournament
