Watch: Rangers Prospect Jack Leiter Throwing Heat for Frisco

The 2021 first-round pick is in a groove and is closing in on 100 strikeouts for the season.

Texas Rangers prospect Jack Leiter tied his minor-league career high with eight strikeouts despite taking the loss for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders on Wednesday night against Wichita.

Leiter threw for 5 1/3 innings, giving up six hits, two runs (earned) and three walks before yielding to the bullpen.

Leiter is now the organization’s No. 2 prospect, according to MLB.com. Third baseman Josh Jung moved up to No. 1 in the new rankings released last week.

MLB Pipeline tweeted video of all eight of Leiter’s strikeouts on Wednesday.

Jack Leiter ties a career high with 8 punchouts for @RidersBaseball!

The @Rangers' top pitching prospect has 94 K's in 79 IP. pic.twitter.com/HWNo6HgY8U

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 25, 2022

Leiter has been on a tear in that department lately.

Against Corpus Christi on Aug. 17, Leiter fanned seven in just four innings of a no-decision. In the game prior to that on Aug. 11 against San Antonio, Leiter also struck out seven in a no-decision.

With four strikeouts against Amarillo on Aug. 5, Leiter now has 26 strikeouts in his last four games, his most in any four-game stretch this season.

Wichita has been good to Leiter in the strikeout department. He set his career high May 31 against Wichita.

After three straight months in which Leiter finished that month with an ERA of 6.00 or higher, he has a 4.05 ERA for the month of August, even though he’s 0-1. He has 26 strikeouts against 12 walks and a 1.45 WHIP.

He gave up six hits on Wednesday, ending a streak of giving up four or fewer hits in five starts.

Leiter (3-9) has now pitched in 20 games and made 19 starts. He has thrown 79 innings and given up 58 runs (47 earned) and 73 hits. He’s walked 46 and struck out 94. He has a 5.35 ERA.

His best start to date came on May 7 when he threw six innings of shutout baseball against Arkansas. He gave up two hits and no walks, while striking out five to collect his first professional win.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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