Jordan Leasure has yet to break into the big leagues, but if the impression he’s making at the Arizona Fall League is any indication, that might not be the case for long.
The White Sox prospect came to Chicago as part of the deal that sent Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers. A 14th-round pick of the Dodgers in 2021, the reliever already is 25 after playing four years of college baseball at the University of Tampa.
He never advanced past Double-A with the Dodgers organization, but was assigned to Triple-A once he landed with the White Sox. His 15 appearances with Charlotte were bumpy, finishing with an 0-2 record and 6.08 ERA.
Leasure is spending the offseason playing for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League. The fall season is young, so he’s yet to appear in a game, but he’s been impressing his teammates. Fellow reliever Christopher Troye, a Boston Red Sox prospect, said on Audacy's “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast that Leasure seems like the real deal.
“The guy is an absolute stud,” Troye said. “Super chill, super low key, we’re in the bullpen just chopping it up. He honestly mellows me out just talking to him, he just re-centers me. The dude is an absolute beast and, honestly, I’ve got no idea why he was in the minor leagues this last year. The dude has got to be knocking on the door.
“The dude is an undercovered beast. The loosest arm action I’ve ever seen, he's got a three-pitch, four-pitch mix, maybe, that is disgusting. Big life on the fastball, probably the hardest thrower in our bullpen, but just a good dude. Real solid dude.”
Troye’s comment came after he was asked to name three players who have impressed him so far, and he named three White Sox. After Leasure, Troye also pointed to outfielder Jacob Burke and shortstop Colson Montgomery.
Montgomery is Chicago’s No. 1 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, which has Leasure at No. 18 and Burke at No. 20.