Texas Rangers' Kumar Rocker aims for bounce-back 2026 season with key adjustment

Rocker must commit to using an effective changeup to complement his fastball and breaking ball.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker is focused on developing an effective changeup this spring training after struggling with the pitch in 2025, which led to him being optioned to the minors. The Rangers still believe Rocker has the talent to be a starting pitcher, and new manager Skip Schumaker has expressed confidence in Rocker's abilities, urging him to be "hungry" to claim a rotation spot.

Why it matters

Rocker's inability to effectively use his changeup in 2025 made him too predictable for hitters, leading to poor results and a demotion to the minors. The Rangers see Rocker as a key part of their future rotation, so his development of the changeup will be crucial to his success and the team's pitching depth.

The details

Rocker acknowledged that he "can't rent" the changeup and must "own it" by fully committing to using the pitch in games. In 2025, batters slugged .714 against his changeup with an .800 expected slugging percentage, the highest average exit velocity among pitchers who allowed at least 10 balls in play on the pitch. This led Rocker to throw the changeup just 6.1% of the time, ranking 212th out of 258 pitchers who threw at least 1,000 pitches. Without the changeup to change hitters' eye level, Rocker's fastball-slider combination became too predictable.

  • In early August 2025, the Rangers optioned Rocker to the minors, watched one start, and then chose to take him off the active roster to place him in an intensive development program.
  • This offseason, Rocker said he "worked on what I needed to do to have success at the next level" and felt he had the time to "nail it down and put together something to take into the offseason."

The players

Kumar Rocker

A talented young pitcher in the Texas Rangers organization who struggled with his changeup in 2025, leading to a demotion to the minors, but is now focused on fully committing to the pitch this spring training.

Skip Schumaker

The new manager of the Texas Rangers who has expressed confidence in Rocker's abilities and wants him to be "hungry" to claim a spot in the starting rotation.

Jack Leiter

Rocker's teammate at Vanderbilt and part of the offseason workout group, who went through a similar intensive development program with the Rangers in 2023 that helped put him on an upward trajectory.

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What they’re saying

“I can't rent it, I've got to own it.”

— Kumar Rocker

“He is a very talented, special pitcher that has stuff that a lot of guys don't have on the mound. We want to build him up and instill belief that he's on our radar and that he's really, really good. I want him to be hungry to make this team, to be the fifth starter. That's the goal. And I think he's doing everything he can to get there. There are not a lot of guys in this league that have his stuff. There are just some growing pains with a lot of young pitchers. It's just the reality.”

— Skip Schumaker, Manager, Texas Rangers

What’s next

The Rangers will closely monitor Rocker's progress with his changeup throughout spring training as he competes for a spot in the starting rotation.

The takeaway

Rocker's development of an effective changeup will be crucial to his success and the Rangers' pitching depth. If he can fully commit to and own the pitch, it could unlock his potential and help him establish himself as a reliable starter in the big leagues.