Jack Leiter DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Jack Leiter (hand) was removed early from his start on Wednesday due to a blister on his throwing hand. Kenndi Landry of MLB.com reported that his removal was precautionary. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it does not appear the Vanderbilt product will be in danger of missing his next start. Before exiting the contest, Leiter was enjoying the best start of his MLB career. The right-hander tossed five shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed just one hit and struck out six batters. In his first start of the campaign, the former No. 2 overall pick tossed five innings of one-run ball against the Boston Red Sox. After struggling during his first taste of the major leagues last summer, it appears Leiter has begun to turn the corner. He is scheduled to face the Chicago Cubs in his next start.

Texas Rangers starting pitching prospect Jack Leiter tossed five innings of one-run ball en route to earning the victory on Friday evening against the Boston Red Sox. Leiter tallied four punchouts and allowed five hits. His lone run allowed came in the fourth inning when outfielder Wilyer Abreu hit an RBI single. This was a strong outing for the former No. 2 overall pick. Last summer, Leiter made his MLB debut and did not find much success as he posted an 8.83 ERA with a 1.71 WHIP across 35 2/3 innings. He tallied 31 strikeouts and served up walks at a high 9.8 percent rate. However, even though his control was an issue in the minor leagues, Leiter flashed elite strikeout upside. At Triple-A, he tossed 77 innings and tallied 110 punchouts. He will look to build off this promising outing on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds.

Texas Rangers right-hander Jack Leiter is listed as the team's probable starter for Friday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi gets the Opening Day nod on Thursday, while right-hander Tyler Mahle is scheduled to go on Saturday. Right-hander Jacob deGrom will close out the four-game series against Boston on Sunday. Injuries to lefty Cody Bradford (elbow) and righty Jon Gray (wrist) opened spots in Texas' Opening Day starting rotation for both Leiter and former Vanderbilt teammate Kumar Rocker. Leiter, 24, did not fare well in his first nine big-league outings (six starts) in 2024 -- 8.83 ERA and 1.71 WHIP -- but he showed improved velocity this spring and fanned 21 hitters in 20 2/3 Cactus League innings. If he can make improvements from a year ago, Leiter will be a nice sleeper play in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.