Mark Leiter Jr. joined the Yankees in July, 2024, 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.
Cubs and Yankees: 2024 Leiter Jr. performance
Right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. began the 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs before being traded to the New York Yankees at the deadline.
Leiter made 21 relief appearances for the Yankees down the stretch. In that span, he posted a 2-1 record with a 4.98 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 21.2 innings pitched. His splitter and strikeout ability gave the Yankees a strikeout-oriented arm late in games and showcased flashes of effectiveness despite some inconsistency. The Cubs first placed him on the injured list in June with a forearm strain, but he returned before the trade and went right into New York’s bullpen mix.
During this period, Leiter also served as a swing option in high-leverage situations. Manager Aaron Boone showed trust in his strikeout pitch in close games, and Leiter delivered key outs that helped stabilize the late innings in several tight contests. He briefly landed on the paternity list late in the season before rejoining the roster, illustrating how the Yankees managed his workload and personal responsibilities.
2025 season with the Yankees
Leiter remained with the Yankees throughout the 2025 season, serving as a key part of New York’s bullpen. He appeared in 59 games, all in relief, compiling a 6-7 record with a 4.84 ERA, 54 strikeouts and two saves over 48.1 innings. His WHIP on the season was 1.53, and he tied for 90th in MLB in saves among relievers.
Leiter’s performance featured ups and downs. At Yankee Stadium, he posted a 5.16 ERA over 28 appearances, while on the road his numbers were somewhat better. He also dealt with a left fibular head stress fracture in July, which landed him on the injured list from July 7 and led to a rehab assignment with Triple-A Somerset in August 2025.
Despite those hurdles, he had notable moments. On May 29, 2025, Leiter recorded his second save of the season in a 1–0 win over the Los Angeles Angels, showcasing his ability to handle high-leverage situations when called upon by Boone.
Leiter also saw postseason movement in 2025. He was removed from the ALDS roster against the Toronto Blue Jays to make room for starter Luis Gil, a tough decision Boone described as one of the necessary roster choices in tight October series play. The Yankees shifted bullpen roles frequently as they balanced health and matchups down the stretch.
Yankees non-tender and free agency
After the 2025 campaign, the Yankees made a series of roster decisions aimed at reshaping their bullpen for 2026. On Nov. 21, 2025, New York non-tendered Mark Leiter Jr., making him a free agent. The move came amid a broad realignment of relievers on the 40-man roster, with the club opting not to offer him a contract for the upcoming season.
Despite posting a 4.84 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 2025, his advanced metrics were more encouraging, with a 3.55 FIP and a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio pointing to underlying effectiveness, particularly his 28.3 percent strikeout rate in recent seasons. Analysts noted his ability to miss bats and limit hard contact even as results varied late in games.
Following free agency, Leiter reached a deal with the Oakland Athletics on Dec. 11, 2025, agreeing to a one-year contract worth roughly $3 million, pending a physical exam. The Athletics signed him to add experience and depth to their bullpen as they restructure their relief corps for the 2026 season. His veteran presence and strikeout skills fit the club’s pitching-first approach.
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