Leiter vs. Rocker: Who’s better?

Kumar Rocker entered 2021 as the consensus top Draft prospect and has excelled over his first seven starts. He won all seven with a tidy 0.84 ERA, posting a .137 opponents’ average and a 61/12 K/BB ratio in 43 innings.

Fellow Vanderbilt right-hander Jack Leiter has been even better. He no-hit South Carolina for nine innings in his first career Southeastern Conference start and Missouri for seven innings before departing in his second. He also has seven wins in as many starts, and his numbers verge on the ridiculous: 0.43 ERA, .074 opponents’ average, 71/16 K/BB ratio in 42 innings.

“It’s like watching Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris from 1961,” an area scout who covers Vanderbilt said. “It’s two guys who are clearly elite in their field.”