Jack Leiter is widely considered to be one of the top prospects in the MLB Draft this year. The rare draft eligible sophomore has been dominant for Vanderbilt, putting himself into the discussion for the top overall pick. Plenty of eyes are going to be upon him whenever he takes the mound.
Those eyes will need to look elsewhere this weekend. The Commodores are giving Leiter the weekend off from pitching in an attempt to monitor his workload.
.@VandyBoys RHP Jack Leiter has been scratched from his start today against Alabama as #Vandy continues to monitor his workload. He will get the weekend off from pitching. Obviously, something to keep an eye on going into next week. #MLBDraft #VandyBoys
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) May 8, 2021
Nothing to worry about with Jack Leiter
It makes sense that Vanderbilt would want to monitor his workload at this point. He had just 15.2 innings last year due to the pandemic, and has already more than quadrupled that amount this year. With the SEC Tournament and the collegiate postseason upcoming, it makes sense that the Commodores would want to keep one of their aces fresh.
Leiter has also displayed signs that he is wearing down of late. After being virtually untouchable at the start of the season, he has allowed 14 runs, 12 earned, on 15 hits and ten walks in his last 15.1 innings. Although he struck out 22 batters, he also allowed eight homers in that time as his command has wavered.
It will be interesting to see how he bounces back from this rest. Should Leiter pitch well, it would cement his place atop the upcoming draft, where he is projected to be selected within the first few picks. However, if he continues to struggle, teams may be leery of his performance down the stretch, allowing him to slide back.
Either way, any team drafting Leiter will need to be cautious. He is not ready to be thrown into the fire, taking on a full workload, just yet. Teams will need to monitor his innings this year, and possibly next year as well. However, considering his immense talent, it will be worth the payoff.
The Vanderbilt Commodores are giving Jack Leiter the weekend off. Considering his increased workload this year, there is nothing to worry about. Yet.