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Pittsburgh Pirates: Jack Leiter showing he is worth top overall pick

By David Hill

Vanderbilt pitcher Tyler Brown and catcher CJ Rodriguez, left, congratulate freshman pitcher Jack Leiter (22) after he strike out all three South Alabama batters during the first inning at Hawkins Field Feb. 18, 2020.Nas Vandy Baseball Home Opener 019
Vanderbilt pitcher Tyler Brown and catcher CJ Rodriguez, left, congratulate freshman pitcher Jack Leiter (22) after he strike out all three South Alabama batters during the first inning at Hawkins Field Feb. 18, 2020.Nas Vandy Baseball Home Opener 019 /
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Heading into the 2021 season, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Kumar Rocker would be selected with the top overall pick in the draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. His wipeout slider and bulldog mentality made him an easy favorite for the top spot as he appeared to be an ace in the making. While that may still be the case, Rocker has some competition in the form of Vanderbilt teammate Jack Leiter.

Leiter was viewed as a draft prospect before. He had been drafted by the Yankees in the 20th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, falling that far strictly due to his commitment to Vandy. As expected, he chose to head to college, where he has drastically improved his stock as a draft eligible sophomore.

Jack Leiter showing he should be considered for top overall pick by Pittsburgh Pirates

Although Leiter had been considered as one of the best pitchers in the upcoming draft, he has taken his game to another level this year. He has allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and seven walks in his 15 innings, striking out 26 batters.

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The son of two time All Star Al Leiter, the Vanderbilt sophomore has an intriguing arsenal. His curve is his best pitch, a 12-6 offering with excellent spin that he has an impressive feel for. Leiter’s fastball has been sitting in the 97 to 98 MPH range during his outings this year as he has added velocity in the past two seasons. His slider sits in the low 80s and also has excellent spin, with some scouts thinking that it could become a better pitch than his curve. He also throws a changeup that was used far more in high school than it has been in college.

As impressive as that arsenal may be, there are two concerns with Leiter. The first is that his command can be spotty at times, which is seen in his walk rate. The other concern is that he does not have much of a track record in college, with just 30.2 innings under his belt due to the pandemic shutting down the 2020 season.

But this does not change what Leiter has been this season. He has dominated the opposition, possibly moving ahead of Rocker in the draft rankings. Leiter has been on the radar of major league teams for years, as he was considered a likely first round draft pick back in 2019. He is not an unknown who exploded out of nowhere to suddenly dominate.

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Jack Leiter has been one of the most impressive pitchers in college thus far in 2021. If this dominance continues, he should be considered for the top overall pick.

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