Leiter No-Hitter Ignites Flames As Future Rangers Draft Pick
Sure to be one of the top picks in this summer’s MLB Draft, Vanderbilt right-hander Jack Leiter has done plenty to raise his draft stock since the start of the college baseball season.
Leiter, son of longtime major league pitcher Al Leiter, tossed a no-hitter in his first SEC start in Vanderbilt's 5-0 win over South Carolina. He walked the Gamecocks' lead-off hitter in the first inning, but then retired the next 27 hitters on 124 pitches, striking out 16 of them.
It was the first no-hitter for Vanderbilt since fellow teammate Kumar Rocker no-hit Duke on June 8, 2019.
Rocker and Leiter are both likely headed for early draft picks this summer, with Rocker as the consensus No. 1 pick on draft boards across the country. Rocker has maintained that status with a strong junior season, most recently pitching eight innings with 14 strikeouts in Vanderbilt's 3-2 win over the Gamecocks on Friday night.
On the other hand, Leiter has had a dominant sophomore season. After Saturday's no-hitter, Leiter is 5-0 with a 0.31 ERA and a 0.62 WHIP, with 49 strikeouts and 11 walks in 29 innings.
The Rangers have the No. 2 pick in the MLB Draft this summer, guaranteeing an opportunity to draft either Rocker or Leiter. There is also a lot of hype around Dallas Jesuit shortstop Jordan Lawlar, who is arguably the top prep prospect in this year's class.
With the Rangers' known struggles to develop pitching, adding a pitcher of Leiter's caliber has fans salivating at the idea of Rob Manfred announcing his name for Texas at this summer's draft.
To help put Rangers fans' minds at ease, they did have a scout on hand to witness Leiter's no-hitter.
"We're going to do our due diligence on all the better players in the country," said Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels on Saturday.
It's still early, and a lot can happen between now and the draft, but this no-hitter will surely have Rangers faithful pining over the idea of Leiter in Texas red, white, and blue.
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Chris Halicke covers the Texas Rangers for InsideTheRangers.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHalicke.
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