Rangers fans might need to temper expectations with Jack Leiter for 2025 season

Hype is a blessing and a curse. Unfortunately, Jack Leiter has already experienced the worst of what it can do.

The Texas Rangers are hoping starting pitcher Jack Leiter can compete for a rotation spot this spring alongside fellow Vanderbilt product, Kumar Rocker. But, after a rough 2024, many fans and pundits are expecting the righty to either finally meet lofty expectations or show that he was overrated from the jump. In truth, Leiter's 2025 may see him find a comfortable floor if not his true ceiling.

The Florida native was far from perfect this past season. He went 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA across 35.2 innings. These numbers are disappointing considering he earned a 3.51 during his time in Triple-A this season.

It is also worth mentioning that Leiter's college career created an insane amount of buzz regarding what he could be in MLB. Vanderbilt is known for producing quality position players and pitchers such as Walker Buehler. Combine this with the fact that Leiter's father was a supremely talented ace in his own right, and you have a situation where it is virtually impossible for the 24-year-old to please everyone.

Rangers fans might need to temper expectations with Jack Leiter for 2025 season

Leiter's average fastball clocked in at around 96.4 MPH this season. He ranked in the 86th percentile in fastball velocity. It is clear he has an effective primary heater, but as manager Bruce Bochy noted, some of his secondary pitches have not yet translated to the big league level.

"We just don’t see quite the consistency that you need to have up here,” Bochy said after Leiter's home debut in May. “He’s doing that down in Triple-A and there’s no reason why he can’t do it here. That’s what’s missing with him. There’s no question the stuff plays here. The secondary pitches, you’d like to see him get a little bit more consistent with that. But he’s getting close. These are teaching moments.”

He boasts a slider, curveball, changeup, and cutter mix, but has not found his comfort zone with these weapons. Harnessing these pitches in 2025 will be key, and it will also make his fastball more impactful.

It would also be reasonable to expect Leiter to get deeper into games. This is not say he should be providing seven innings every start, but receiving around five innings each start would be a major step in the right direction for the rotation.

Fans will have to see if Leiter can find his footing, but they should be careful not to ask for too much.