Jack Leiter of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch during a spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Surprise Stadium on February 28, 2023 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers prospect Jack Leiter, the organization’s No. 4 prospect according to MLB.com Pipeline, had a quality start Wednesday for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, pitching six innings and allowing just two hits, one earned run, walking one batter, and striking out four in his 10th start of the season.
Frisco lost to the San Antonio Missions 3-0.
In the top of the second inning, the Missions got on the scoreboard first as Michael De La Cruz drove a fly ball over the right field wall for a solo home run for the first run of the game.
During the top of the seventh inning, De La Cruz would help his cause once again as he drove a ground ball single to right field as Daniel Johnson came in to score as the Missions extended their lead to 2-0.
The Missions would get an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning as Connor Hollis laced a double to left field as Pedro Castellanos scored the third and final run of the game.
Missions starting pitcher Daniel Camarena would go six innings allowing one hit, walking one batter, and striking out five during his performance.
The RoughRiders (20-26) will play the final game of their three game series against the Missions (25-22) tonight at 8:05 p.m. EDT on MiLB.com streaming paid subscription service.
Leiter’s overall record during the 2023 season is at 2-3 with a 3.83 earned run average allowing 34 hits, seven home runs, walking 28 batters, and striking out 62 in his second professional season.
Last season, Leiter went 3-10 with a 5.54 ERA in 23 starts, pitching 92.2 innings and allowing 88 hits, 11 home runs, walking 56 batters and notching 109 strikeouts. He was selected to play in the 2022 All-Star Futures Game at Dodgers Stadium.
Leiter was selected by the Rangers as the second overall pick in the 2021 Major League Baseball amateur draft and signed with the Rangers on July 28, 2021, receiving a $7.92 million signing bonus.
Prior to playing professional baseball, Leiter helped Vanderbilt get to the 2021 College World Series and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team after starting in 18 games compiling an 11-4 record with a 2.13 ERA and striking out 179 batters over 110 innings.
Jack Leiter is the son of former major league pitcher Al Leiter, who played 18 seasons spending time with the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, and New York Mets during his career. The elder Leiter is now a broadcaster on the YES Network and studio analyst for MLB Network.
