Jack Leiter’s first look throwing in Texas Rangers gear matches the hype

Strap in, y’all! Jack Leiter is about to officially turn pro with the Texas Rangers organization.

In a video posted to the Texas Rangers Player Development Twitter account on Tuesday, fans can catch their first glimpse of the former Vanderbilt ace in Rangers threads.

https://twitter.com/TEXPlayerDev/status/1493684849323823104

Jack Leiter was seen throwing in Texas Rangers gear for the first time at the team facility in Surprise, Arizona

Leiter, who isn’t on the 40-man roster, looks to have reported to Surprise, Arizona for an early spring training as he ramps up ahead of his first professional season. Being that he’s not on the 40-man, he’s allowed to work out during this lockout, unlike many of his big league (and some minor league) counterparts.

And I’ll just say: Leiter looks really good in Ranger red, white and blue! And those calves…

After being drafted second overall by Texas in the 2021 MLB Draft, Leiter took the rest of the season off, opting to finish his degree at Vanderbilt and training there during the off-season before committing to his journey as a Ranger starting this season. Now, he enters the organization as their top-ranked prospect, leapfrogging the likes of Josh Jung and Cole Winn, who are both expected to make their big league debuts in 2022.

In all likelihood, Leiter will need at least a year of minor league development, meaning the earliest he’ll debut in Arlington is 2023. Given his polish, that’s not an unreasonable goal at all. But the key is not to rush him, just as the Texas Rangers haven’t with their other top prospects so far. The team isn’t in a position to win quite yet, so allowing for Leiter’s development and allowing him to reach his high ceiling will make a huge difference when the Rangers are ready to win.

Either way, this video of Leiter throwing in Texas Rangers threads has us really pumped up for the season ahead and the future of this organization. Now, if only we could get a deal done and report to spring training…