TEXAS RANGERS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. JACK LEITER, RHP
AGE: 22. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-1. WT: 205. DRAFTED: Vanderbilt, 2021 (1st round). SIGNED BY: Derrick Tucker.
TRACK RECORD: Leiter was drafted by the Yankees out of the Delbarton School in New Jersey but chose to honor his commitment to Vanderbilt, where he spent the 2021 season as arguably the most dominant pitcher in college baseball. He made national headlines on March 20 when he threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts against South Carolina. He followed that performance with seven more hitless innings against Missouri in his next start. He finished with 179 strikeouts, tied at the top of the NCAA leaderboard with teammate Kumar Rocker. He and Rocker helped lead the Commodores to the College World Series finals. Come July, Leiter was in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick. He fell to No. 2 overall, but his $7,922,000 bonus was the fourth-highest ever and the largest of the 2021 draft.
Leiter has one of the most electric pitch packages of any prospect, led by a fastball that averages 94 mph and touches 99. The velocity, coupled with efficient spin, an elite vertical approach angle, horizontal break and carry through the zone, helps the pitch play when he locates it to the upper and lower quadrants. Eventually, the Rangers believe, all those characteristics will combine to form a true plus-plus pitch. Both of Leiter’s breaking pitches—a high-70s downer curveball and a slicing slider in the low 80s—generated plenty of swings and misses in college and project to be at least above-average pitches in pro ball, as well. Leiter
