Top pitching prospect Jack Leiter, selected as the second overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft, will begin his professional career with the Frisco RoughRiders, Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Leiter received a $7.92-million signing bonus upon joining the Rangers last summer.
The Summit, New Jersey native led Vanderbilt to the College World Series in 2021, where the Commodores would ultimately fall to conference rival Mississippi State in that year’s championship. Leiter, whose father Al won three World Series over his 19 major-league seasons, emerged as arguably the top pitcher in college baseball last year, earning All-American honors on the strength of 179 strikeouts and a dominant 2.13 ERA. He won 11 of his 18 starts including a no-hitter against South Carolina in his SEC debut followed by a 17-strikeout gem at Missouri just days later.
The 21-year-old appeared in one game this spring, scattering two hits, three runs (all earned), four strikeouts and two walks against Kansas City. The right-hander’s four-seamer is known to touch triple-digits, though he maxed out at 98 mph in his lone Cactus League appearance. Leiter is ranked as the Rangers’ No. 1 prospect and 17th overall by MLB Pipeline with an estimated big-league arrival in 2023.
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