Who is Mark Leiter Jr., the newest Yankees reliever, nephew of Al Leiter?
- August 1, 2024
- 6:49 pm
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Follow UsThe New York Yankees have made a significant move to bolster their bullpen by acquiring right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs. Announced last Tuesday, this trade brings a new face to the Bronx.
In exchange, the Yankees sent Double-A shortstop Ben Cowles and Triple-A reliever Jack Neely to Chicago.
Who is Mark Leiter Jr.?
Mark Leiter Jr. joins the Yankees with a strong baseball pedigree. He is the nephew of former Yankees pitcher Al Leiter and the son of Mark Leiter Sr., who briefly pitched for the Yankees in 1990. Born in Fort Lauderdale, where the Yankees used to hold spring training, Mark Jr. has baseball in his blood. His journey to the majors has been anything but easy, including Tommy John surgery and a stint in the minors.
This season, Leiter has appeared in 39 games, posting a 4.21 ERA. Despite this ERA, his underlying stats are impressive: he has struck out 13.1 batters per nine innings and walked just 3.2 per nine. His ability to generate swings and misses is a key asset for the Yankees’ bullpen, which has struggled with injuries and inconsistency. Leiter’s splitter is his signature pitch, especially effective against left-handed batters, who have managed just a .026 batting average against it this season. His overall strikeout rate stands at an impressive 34.9%, with a ground-ball rate of 50.6%.
Leiter’s path to the Yankees has been marked by resilience and perseverance. After being drafted in the 22nd round by the New Jersey Institute of Technology, he faced setbacks, including being released by the Arizona Diamondbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he found his stride as a late-inning reliever, a role that he excelled in with the Cubs.
He has previously played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Chicago Cubs. Leiter made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Phillies.
In exchange for Leiter, the Yankees sent two promising prospects to the Cubs. Ben Cowles was hitting .295/.376/.472 in Double-A Somerset, while Jack Neely was expected to make his MLB debut this season. Both players were Rule 5 eligible this offseason, which influenced the Yankees’ decision to trade them.
Leiter is not expected to take over the closer role from Clay Holmes but will provide much-needed depth to the bullpen. The Yankees are still exploring other bullpen additions, having been linked to Miami Marlins closer Tanner Scott among others. Mark Leiter Jr. brings a mix of experience, talent, and determination to the Yankees’ bullpen. As fans welcome him to Yankee Stadium, there’s a sense of optimism that his addition will help solidify the team’s relief corps for the remainder of the season.
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