Rangers' Jack Leiter is making MLB hitters look silly so far in 2026
Leiter has traveled a winding path to this point.
Rangers' Jack Leiter is making MLB hitters look silly so far in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . There was a point, when Jack Leiter was at Vanderbilt, that it seemed a sure thing he'd eventually be one of the best pitchers on the planet.
Then there was a point, in the Texas Rangers ' minor league system, that it seemed a question whether he'd even make it as a regular MLB starting pitcher. The pendulum has swung back in the first direction. So far in 2026, Leiter has been absolutely dominant.
It's early, but the trend line has pointed back upward in the past couple years for Leiter as he has now ascended to impressive heights. MORE: Aaron Judge's case as the greatest right-handed hitter of all time One stat shines incredibly bright so far this season: Opposing hitters are whiffing against Leiter 45. 3% of the time.
Yep, on nearly half the pitches Leiter throws that get swung at, the batter swings-and-misses. It'd be hard to do any better than that. "Leiter has been firmly established in the baseball lexicon since his collegiate days at Vanderbilt, making his early-season breakout so fun to watch," MLB.