The Texas Rangers entered the 2026 season with high expectations for their pitching staff, widely viewed as the team’s biggest strength. With established stars like Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi leading the rotation, along with offseason addition MacKenzie Gore, the Rangers appeared well-equipped on the mound.
However, few anticipated that Jack Leiter would emerge as the team’s most impressive pitcher early in the season. Yet, through the first few weeks, that is exactly what has happened.
Leiter, a former first-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, showed flashes of promise during the 2025 season but struggled with consistency. He finished that year with a 3.86 ERA across 151 2/3 innings, a respectable but uneven campaign. One of his standout moments came in August against the Cleveland Guardians, when he struck out 10 batters and demonstrated the kind of dominance scouts had long projected. Now, it appears that he may be building on that potential in 2026.
In his first two starts of the new season, Leiter has taken a noticeable step forward. He currently holds a 2.45 ERA over 11 innings, along with 17 strikeouts and just two walks. His ERA is the lowest among Rangers pitchers, and his strikeout total ranks near the top of the staff despite having one fewer start than Eovaldi. More importantly, he has looked confident and in control on the mound, signaling a possible breakout.
One of the most significant areas of improvement has been his command. During the 2025 season, Leiter struggled with control, issuing 67 walks—an average of four per nine innings. This year, he has dramatically reduced that number to just 1.6 walks per nine innings. This sharper command has allowed him to pitch more effectively and avoid unnecessary trouble.
That said, there are still areas where Leiter can improve. While his stuff has been excellent, efficiency remains a concern. In a recent outing against the Cincinnati Reds, he consistently ran high pitch counts, failing to record a single inning with fewer than 15 pitches. This has limited his ability to pitch deeper into games. If he can become more efficient, it would elevate his value even further and help solidify his role in the rotation.
A big reason for Leiter’s early success lies in his pitch mix. His four-seam fastball and signature kick changeup make up more than half of his repertoire, and both have been highly effective. His fastball averages 97.3 mph and has generated a strong whiff rate, though he often uses it to set up hitters rather than finish them off.
The changeup, meanwhile, has been a major weapon, producing a high swing-and-miss rate and several strikeouts, even if the results have not always reflected its effectiveness. However, his slider has arguably been his best pitch so far. Opponents have struggled to make contact against it, and it has served as his primary strikeout pitch.
Leiter’s curveball has also been effective, while his sinker and cutter, though used less frequently, have proven efficient in key situations. Altogether, his expanded and refined arsenal has made him a much more complete pitcher.
If Leiter can maintain this level of performance, he could quickly transition from a promising young arm to a central figure in the Rangers’ rotation. His early success suggests that he may finally be living up to the expectations that came with his high draft status, giving Texas even more reason for optimism moving forward.
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