The Texas Rangers called up right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter to their Major League Baseball roster. The move comes after Cody Bradford joined Tyler Mahle, Max Scherzer, and Jacob deGrom on the list of their injured pitchers. On Thursday, he will start the final game of the defending World Series champions’ series against the Detroit Tigers.

However, Leiter's call-up isn't just about being the next man up. He's a force to be reckoned with, much like the pitcher who propelled Vanderbilt University to the 2021 College World Series Finals.

Before his stint with the Rangers, Leiter showcased his prowess by striking out 25 batters in 14.1 innings for the Triple-A Round Rock Express. Last year, he struck out 114 batters in 85 innings for the Express and Double-A Frisco RoughRiders.

If his last name sounds familiar, it's because Jack's father, Al Leiter, played for the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, and New York Mets over 19 MLB seasons. His uncle, Mark Leiter, played for eight MLB teams over 11 seasons, while his cousin, Mark Leiter Jr., pitches for the Chicago Cubs organization.

Despite having a family of major league pitchers, Jack Leiter struggled to find his groove early in his professional baseball career. For the RoughRiders, he had a 5.54 ERA in 23 games in 2022 and 5.07 in 2023. But when he returned to Round Rock earlier this year, he improved his ERA to 3.77.

Leiter will fulfill his MLB dream three years after the Rangers selected him in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2021 June Amateur Draft.

-Lance Fernandez