Al Leiter put together a tremendous 19-year major-league career, with two All-Star Game selections, three World Series titles, and a 3.80 ERA over 2,391 innings pitched. And the MLB Network analyst has a son that seems to be on the verge of a heck of a pitching career as well.
Jack Leiter, 19, made his college baseball debut for Vanderbilt vs South Alabama on Tuesday, and it went quite well. The freshman right-hander (even though his dad was a lefty) threw five scoreless innings, allowed zero hits and one walk, and struck out 12 in Vanderbilt’s 3-0 victory. Complete dominance and filth.
While nobody could expect that kind of performance out of the gate from a freshman, evaluators of college baseball and the MLB Draft certainly aren’t shocked.
The New York Yankees — the team Al began and finished his career with — even drafted Jack in the 20th round of the 2019 draft, while being aware of his intentions to attend Vanderbilt.
Leiter entered the season as Baseball America’s top freshman prospect, and No. 2 on Baseball America’s top 2021 MLB Draft college prospects. And the only 2021 college prospect currently ranked ahead of Leiter for the 2021 draft? That would be a sophomore in Vanderbilt’s rotation, Kumar Rocker.
The Commodores are set up to have a great chance to repeat as College World Series champions in 2020.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.