Round Rock RHP Jack Leiter Promoted to Texas
April 18, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Round Rock Express News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Welcome to The Show, Jack! The Texas Rangers announced that the club selected the contract of Round Rock Express RHP Jack Leiter on Thursday morning. Leiter is scheduled to start today against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park at 12:10 p.m. CT.
Leiter opened the 2024 season with the E-Train and appeared in three games with two starts. He posted a 3.77 ERA (6 ER/14.1 IP) and issued only three walks. He is second in the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts with 25. In two of his three appearances, Leiter did not issue a walk. Only once in 20 starts last year did Leiter not allow a walk.
In his first outing of the year, Leiter moved to a bullpen role as Texas Rangers RHP Michael Lorenzen was making a Major League rehab start for the Express. Leiter entered in the fourth inning and went 5.0 innings while allowing only two earned runs with two hits, zero walks and nine strikeouts. Leiter retired the first 13 he faced and at one point struck out five consecutive batters.
He took the bump in a starting role for the first time on a windy, 59-degree night against the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres) on April 6. He tossed 3.1 innings and earned the loss after allowing two runs, one earned run, three walks and six strikeouts.
His last start came against the Oklahoma City Baseball Club (Los Angeles Dodgers) on April 12 at Dell Diamond. In 6.0 innings, Leiter allowed three earned runs with six hits and 10 strikeouts. In the second inning, he tossed his fastest pitch of the season against Baseball Club INF Chris Owings when he fired a 98.2-mph missile for a strikeout. His 10 strikeouts tied a career high as he struck out every Oklahoma City batter at least once in the game.
After pitching his first two years primarily with Double-A Frisco, Leiter earned his promotion to Triple-A on September 23, 2023. He tossed 3.1 innings with eight hits, three earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts against the Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners affiliate) at Cheney Stadium in his first and only taste of Triple-A last year.
Leiter was selected as the second overall selection in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt University. He grew up in Summit, New Jersey where he went on to win New Jersey Gatorade High School Player of the Year at Delbarton School. His father, Al, pitched 19 seasons in the Major Leagues and was a two-time World Series Champion.
Leiter joins Express teammates INF Justin Foscue, INF Davis Wendzel and RHP Cole Winn to all log their first Major League action in the first month of the 2024 season. In 2023, Round Rock did not have four players make their Major League debuts until August 7.
Round Rock and Sugar Land continue their six-game series on Thursday night from Constellation Field with first pitch for game three of the series set for 6:35 p.m. CT. The Express have yet to name a starting pitcher while Space Cowboys RHP Rhett Kouba (1-1, 2.45) is slated to start. For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
• Discuss this story on the Pacific Coast League message board...
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 18, 2024
- OKC Baseball Club Taken Down by River Cats, 8-4 - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- Isotopes Take Down Chihuahuas, 10-2 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Salt Lake Falters Against Reno In Loss On Thursday - Salt Lake Bees
- Big Sixth Sparks Victory for Sacramento Over Oklahoma City - Sacramento River Cats
- Offense Plays Catch up in Third-Straight Victory - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Home Runs Power Aviators to Victory - Tacoma Rainiers
- Beck, Isotopes Power Past El Paso, 10-2 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Reno Aces Game Will Honor Nevada's Youngest-Ever Organ Donor - Reno Aces
- April 18 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers at Las Vegas Aviators - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Baseball Club Game Notes - April 18, 2024 - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- Reno Aces Announce Promotions for May of the 2024 Home Schedule - Reno Aces
- Round Rock RHP Jack Leiter Promoted to Texas - Round Rock Express
- MiLB's Newest Team, the Malmö Oat Milkers, to Play in Sugar Land - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Late Runs Propel Tacoma to Victory - Tacoma Rainiers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Round Rock Express Stories
- Friday's Round Rock at Albuquerque Game Suspended
- Albuquerque Claims 6-4 Victory Over Round Rock
- Express Top Isotopes 7-6 in Wednesday's Game Two
- Round Rock Opens Series in Albuquerque with Comeback Win
- Round Rock Takes Series against Oklahoma City with 4-0 Shutout