Jack Leiter makes MLB debut

FRISCO, Texas (April 19, 2024) – Former Frisco RoughRiders pitcher Jack Leiter made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers on Thursday, April 18th in their game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Leiter started the game for the Rangers, cruising through the opening frame while striking out Kerry Carpenter, marking his first punchout in the bigs. He ran into some trouble in the second inning, but bounced back in the third before exiting in the fourth. He finished the day spinning 3.2 innings while allowing seven earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in a 9-7 win. His debut made baseball history as Al, Jack’s father, and Mark Leiter, Jack’s uncle, became the first set of brothers that played in the majors to also have sons that reached the big leagues.

Leiter elected to attend Vanderbilt after being selected in the 20th round of the 2019 MLB draft by the New York Yankees out of Delbarton H.S. in New Jersey. Across two seasons with the Commodores, he posted a 13-4 record with a 2.08 ERA on his way to being named an All-American and Golden Spikes Award finalist.

The Rangers selected Leiter with the second overall pick in the 2021 draft and sent him to Frisco to begin his professional career in 2022, making 23 appearances (22 starts). He boasted a 3-10 record with a 5.54 ERA in his first season in professional baseball and was a participant in the 2022 Futures Game. Jack returned to Frisco in 2023, starting 19 games for the Riders and posting a 5.07 ERA. Leiter tossed a total of 174.1 innings in a RoughRiders uniform, tallying 219 strikeouts over that span (fifth-most in franchise history).

The righty was sent to Triple-A Round Rock at the end of his 2023 campaign, making just one start. He began this season with the Express, going 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA in three appearances before being called upon by the big league club.

Leiter is the seventh former RoughRiders player to make his MLB debut in 2024 and the 204th player in franchise history, joining Wyatt Langford, Justin Slaten, Justin Foscue, Davis Wendzel, Cole Winn and Ricky Vanasco. Seven players to debut in April sets a franchise record, breaking the previous mark of four (multiple seasons).

The RoughRiders continue their six-game series with the Arkansas Travelers (Seattle Mariners) at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, April 19th. RHP Dane Acker (0-0, 1.04) will take the mound for Frisco against LHP Danny Wirchansky (1-1, 5.00) for the Travs.

For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.

About the RoughRiders

The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the 2022 Texas League champions. In 2023, the team celebrated its 20th anniversary and has consistently finished in the top five among all Double-A franchises in attendance yearly. In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, Bullpen Bar, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world's largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest's prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 200 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball including current Rangers Josh Jung, Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact **[email protected]**.