If I’m reading this right, this should not be the Rocker Rule, it may as well be tied back to Brady Aitken. This is trying to get pitchers to submit to a physical, which Rocker didn’t do, and most pitchers going into the draft don’t do.
The only physical Rocker failed was the Mets physical after he was drafted. This rule (again, if I’m reading it right) covers him only if he submits to a pre-draft physical as part of the combine. MLB Is trying to out out a bit of carrot to encourage physicals, but it’s not likely to be enough to switch the players over to ignoring their own interests and aligning with the owners.
I think both Rocker and Aiken were the same situation: neither got a physical
pre-draft; both were drafted; both failed their physical
pre-signing; both teams wanted a discount; and both players declined.
What I am just learning because I was Binging around is that there already was a Aiken rule as in the last CBA in 2016, MLB inserted a provision allowing the top-50 pitching prospects to take a
pre-draft MRI:
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/theres-good-and-bad-with-the-mlbs-new-voluntary-mri-program-for-draft-prospects/. As is obvious to us (and not sure why it wasn't obvious to MLB), without any sweeteners, prospects had no incentive to take the
pre-draft MRI, which Rocker did not do.
Looking at the proposal, I'm skeptical that the new agreement addresses this issue. Yes, a guarantee of 75% of slot sounds like a lot but I'm sure agents have already figured out that the guarantee means little if their client sliding down the board due to what popped up on the
pre-draft physical and means essentially $0 if their client is not taken in the 1st 10 rounds.
