John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Rangers Breakout Star Predicted To Finish Near Top of AL Rookie of the Year Voting

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Texas Rangers are making a ferocious late-season push for a playoff spot in the American League.

After a few tweaks to their lineup, things started to click in recent weeks. It may be too little too late, but at least the Rangers are playing meaningful baseball in a year that it didn’t look like that would be the case for a large chunk. As a whole, the team has underwhelmed this year thanks to an underachieving lineup.

Texas’s lineup has not produced at the level many expected. Coming into the year, some analysts believed they had the potential to be the best offense in the MLB. The team hasn’t come close to that level. The only reason they have been able to stick around in the race is the performance of their pitching staff.

Jacob deGrom, who has been able to stay healthy for the first time since 2019, looks like his dominant self. But he has not been alone. With Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle going down with injuries, others have had to step up. One pitcher who has answered the call is Jack Leiter.

There were some people ready to write him off after a brutal debut in 2024. He had a ghastly 8.83 ERA across 35.2 innings. There wasn’t much to get excited about with his production, but he worked diligently over the offseason to improve his craft.

Jack Leiter Has Produced Well for Rangers

It worked out, with Leiter looking like a totally new pitcher in 2025. There are still some things for the young righty to iron out, but he has improved his performance on the field. That has led to Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) predicting that he will finish in third place in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.

“Leiter is having a breakout season thanks to significant improvement of his command of his four-seam fastball, which sits in the high-90s, and batters are hitting just .197 against it. His slider has late tilt and movement and his changeup has also been an effective weapon,” the former MLB executive wrote.

Through 27 starts this season, the Vanderbilt product has a 3.82 ERA across 139 innings. He has struck out 134 batters and has a 9-9 record. Necessary steps in the right direction have been taken, with Leiter looking like a shoo-in part of the rotation in 2026 and beyond.

To take his game to another level, he has to continue honing his arsenal when it comes to command. Despite the improved numbers, his walk rate has gone up from 9.8% to 10.9 %. That has to start coming down for him to realize his immense potential.