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After a tough 2020 season, the Texas Rangers were honored with their top pick in the MLB Draft since the selection of second-place pitcher Tommy Boggs in 1974.
As poor as things have been in the history of this franchise, Texas haven’t really picked high in the draft very often. Since moving to Texas in 1972, the Rangers have only been in the top 5 eight times in total.
Tonight, the Rangers had their ninth top talent opportunity and selected famed RHP Jack Leiter of Vanderbilt University with the second overall selection in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Leiter is, as everyone now knows, the son of two-time All-Star Al Leiter. The 6’1 ” 205 lb right-hander was one of the best preparation arms a few years ago, but chose to go to Vanderbilt where he hit 22 for 15 1/3 innings as a freshman in 2020 before the COVID-19 outbreak interrupted the college season.
Returning in 2021 to continue as the top tandem with top preseason prospect Kumar Rocker, Leiter took the Twitter pitcher by storm watching the GIF as he threw a draw in his very first SEC contest. against a then-ranked South Carolina No. 16 team on March 20.
Leiter elevated his status to the top college level during his season where he finished 11-4 with a 2.13 ERA in 18 starts. Leiter struck out 179 batters (tied with teammate Rocker for NCAA top mark) in 110 innings and rolled a 20 2/3 hitting streak in his first month in the SEC.
Here’s what Leiter’s varsity coach Tim Corbin had to say about Leiter:
“Jack is mature, intentional and predictable in his ways on and off the court… he gets it. Extremely proficient in all student-athlete activities. Although he is only a second year player, he functions as someone who has been in the program for 3-4 years. Very motivated and autonomous. He has a specific plan and he executes it… he leaves nothing on the table. Stable and consistent. There is a high level of healing in being good, and her habits reflect that. “
And here’s what MLB Pipeline has to say about what it brings to the mound:
Leiter typically works at 90-95 mph and peaks at 97 with his fastball, which plays like elite ground due to its durability and exceptional metrics, such as its induced vertical break. He gets an exceptional amount of swings and misses in the strike zone with his warmer. It also has a 12-6 curve ball in the upper 70s that it can both land for hitting or chasing hitters, and its spinning feel also results in a low 80s slider that some reviewers have. think it has more advantages than its curve. In high school, Leiter displayed a solid change, but he rarely used it in college. He has shown uneven control at times but has improved with more experience, and the only real question is how he will handle a full season of workload, as he only threw 74 1 / 3 innings between high school and Vanderbilt in 2019-20.
With Leiter joining the organization, the Rangers are done for tonight as MLB will only play the first round and competition picks tonight before continuing with rounds 2-10 tomorrow afternoon and concluding the draft with the rounds 11 to 20 Tuesday.
The Rangers will make their next selection with the No. 38 pick in the second round and then have the second pick in each subsequent round.
Welcome to the Rangers, Jack Leiter!
Here is a bright future, and sorry for this Boston.
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