Jack Leiter to Pitch Tuesday for Rangers

The 2021 first-round pick has worked hard to impress new Rangers manager Bruce Bochy and the staff this spring.

Jack Leiter will make his first appearance of Spring Training as the Texas Rangers face the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at Surprise Stadium.

The Rangers' press notes on Sunday had Leiter as the projected starter. On Tuesday the Rangers changed their starter to Cody Bradford. 

The Athletic reported that Rangers manager Bruce Bochy didn't give a reason for the flip, but that both Leiter and Kumar Rocker would pitch in relief.

Leiter would have been the first minor-league prospect to take a turn starting for the Rangers since spring games began Friday.

Leiter was a first-round pick from 2021. He didn’t pitch in the system in 2021, as the Rangers chose to rest his arm after he pitched for Vanderbilt in the College World Series.

He spent last season at Double-A Frisco, where admittedly he had an uneven year. Despite earning selection to the MLB Futures game in Los Angeles, Leiter went 3-10 with a 5.54 ERA in 23 games (22 starts).

He threw 92 2/3 innings, gave up 88 hits, 69 runs (57 earned), 11 home runs and 56 walks. He struck out 109. Batters hit .246 against him and he had a 1.55 WHIP.

But Rangers manager Bruce Bochy raved about one of Leiter’s first pitching sessions of Spring Training last week.

“Well I don’t know how you could throw the ball better, to be honest with you,” Bochy said. “I mean he looked like he was in midseason form. This is how well he threw yesterday. He had really good command through strikes. Outstanding breaking ball. Pitched on the upper bar well. He did everything. Good delivery, consistent. That was a good day for him.”

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