This day seemed like it would never get here.

Jack Leiter is finally making his major league debut today in Detroit. He was the second pick in the first round of the 2021 draft, after a brilliant but COVID-shorted two-year career with Vanderbilt, where he was 13-4 with a 2.05 ERA. 

But since that time, he has not only stalled, he actually seemed to go backward. 

He struggled at Double-A Frisco in 2022 and in 2023. So, the Rangers shut him down, put him on the developmental list, and totally rebuilt his game. He came back for one start at Triple-A Round Rock where he was roundly rocked, giving up eight hits, two walks, and three earned runs in 3.1 innings.

He had a much better spring training this year than in the past, but found himself back at Round Rock to start the season. In two starts, he put up a 3.77 ERA. But with the Rangers rotation decimated by injury and Andrew Heaney, Leiter is finally getting called up to make his major league debut. 

The twenty-three-year-old righthander is the son of legendary pitcher Al Leiter, who started his nineteen-year major league career at the age of twenty-one. 

Jack Leiter might not get nineteen years. But Year One starts today. 

Here’s hoping this is the start of a long, successful major league career. 

Here’s hoping he breaks the Jon Daniels pitching draft jinx. If he does, he will be the only success story in that era.

Welcome to the major leagues, Jack. Good luck.

*****

TODAY’S GAME: