Jack Leiter finally made the wait worth it for the Texas Rangers.
Selected in the first round in 2021 (No. 2 overall), the hope was that the Vanderbilt star and son of former Major League pitcher Al Leiter would make beat a quick path to the Majors and bolster the rotation.
That didn’t quite work out. The right-hander had control issues that required mechanical tweaks while he was in the minor leagues. A stint on the developmental list midway through the 2023 season became a breakthrough for him. In 2024 he earned his first promotion to the Majors and made several spot starts, setting up what Texas hoped would be a true rookie season in 2025.
Leiter delivered. When one looks at the Rangers’ roster to assess the top rookie in 2025, Leiter is the obvious, and easy choice.
Jack Leiter’s Rookie Year
Leiter was still considered a rookie in 2025 because he only pitched 35.2 innings in 2024. In nine games (six starts) he went 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA. He allowed 35 earned runs in 35.2 innings, with 31 strikeouts and 17 walks. He had clear throughlines to improve.
His improvement was clear in 2025. He posted a -1.6 bWAR in 2024 and that went up to 0.4 in 2025. He went 10-10 with a 3.86 ERA in 29 games, all starts, with 148 strikeouts and 67 walks. He had a 1.28 WHIP. One of the big improvements came in the earned run category. He gave up 65 earned runs in 151.2 innings, a much better rate against his innings pitched in 2024.
Another was in opponent batting average. Batters hit .297 against Leiter in 2024. That average dropped to .222 in 2025.
The end of June and the beginning of July were a line of demarcation for Leiter. In June, he went 0-3 with a 5.47 ERA in five starts, as he gave up 15 earned runs in just 24.2 innings. He only struck out 22 and walked nine. Batters also hit .280 against him.
In July, with the All-Star break allowing him a 10-day break, he quickly improved. He went 3-1 in four starts with a 3.43 ERA, with 25 strikeouts and 13 walks in 21 innings. Batters hit just .205 against him. August was his best month. In six starts he went 201 with a 2.76 ERA, with 35 strikeouts and 14 walks in 29.1 innings. Batters hit .209 against him.
Like the rest of the staff, he suffered a bit in September, as he went 1-3 with a 4.20 ERA in five starts, giving up eight walks and striking out 30 in 30 innings. Still, he kept his ERA below 4.00 for the season and set himself up for what could be a better 2026. With Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi in front of him, he’s a clear No. 3 going into next season.