NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt pitching duo of Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker received national recognition from Baseball America, announced by the publication on Tuesday.
Rocker was named Player of the Year, while Leiter received Freshman of the Year honors. The two became the first pair of teammates ever to win the awards in the same season.
Rocker and Leiter tied for the nation-lead in strikeouts, posting 179 apiece across the 2021 campaign, becoming the first teammates in at least 30 seasons to lead the country in strikeouts. The Commodore duo were also recognized as finalists for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
A unanimous First Team All-American, Rocker posted a 14-4 record on the mound this season, including a 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The junior right-hander became just the second player since 1988 to lead the nation in both strikeouts and wins in the same season.
Leiter registered 201 strikeouts across his two seasons. The right-hander closed out the season ranking third in the country in hits allowed per nine innings with a mark of 3.93.
Rocker posted a 14-4 record on the mound this season, including a 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The junior right-hander became just the second player since 1988 to lead the nation in both strikeouts and wins in the same season.
In July, Rocker and Leiter were both selected in the top 10 of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft. The two became the first pair of teammates to be selected in the top 10, giving Vanderbilt multiple top-10 selections for just the third time in program history, which marks the most of any program.
Rocker was named Player of the Year, while Leiter received Freshman of the Year honors. The two became the first pair of teammates ever to win the awards in the same season.
Rocker and Leiter tied for the nation-lead in strikeouts, posting 179 apiece across the 2021 campaign, becoming the first teammates in at least 30 seasons to lead the country in strikeouts. The Commodore duo were also recognized as finalists for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
A unanimous First Team All-American, Rocker posted a 14-4 record on the mound this season, including a 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The junior right-hander became just the second player since 1988 to lead the nation in both strikeouts and wins in the same season.
Leiter registered 201 strikeouts across his two seasons. The right-hander closed out the season ranking third in the country in hits allowed per nine innings with a mark of 3.93.
Rocker posted a 14-4 record on the mound this season, including a 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament. The junior right-hander became just the second player since 1988 to lead the nation in both strikeouts and wins in the same season.
In July, Rocker and Leiter were both selected in the top 10 of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft. The two became the first pair of teammates to be selected in the top 10, giving Vanderbilt multiple top-10 selections for just the third time in program history, which marks the most of any program.
