Delbarton Grad Jack Leiter Signs For $7.9M With Rangers

MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ — Delbarton School alumnus Jack Leiter inked his spot in professional baseball. The son of former Met and Yankee Al Leiter signed with the Rangers, the team announced Wednesday.

The Summit native signed for a bonus worth more than $7.9 million, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. That's the highest bonus for a pitcher since Major League Baseball changed draft rules a decade ago — just shy of what current Yankee Gerrit Cole received from the Pirates in 2011.

Leiter, 21, has been on the MLB's radar for years and had been seen as a likely high draft pick since high school. The Yankees selected Leiter in the 20th round in 2019 in what could be seen as a tip of the cap to their former pitcher.

But Leiter slipped in that draft because of the likelihood he would forgo signing with a team and pitch for Vanderbilt. He re-entered the draft this year before the Rangers selected him second overall.

The right-hander pitched for Vanderbilt in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and this year. In college, Leiter recorded a 2.08 earned-run average with 201 strikeouts in 125 2/3 innings. He struck out 10 in 7 innings against East Carolinato clinch a trip to the College World Series for the Commodores.

While prepping at Delbarton in 2019, Leiter was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year, an Under Armour All-American and a Perfect Game All-American. Leiter struck out 95 batters in 57 innings as a senior and fanned 77 in 54 1/3 frames the prior year.

Al Leiter pitched seven innings for the Mets (1998-2004) and four for the Yankees (1987-89, 2005). He made two All-Star games and won three World Series titles — 1992 and 1993 with the Blue Jays and 1997 with the Marlins.

The Central Regional High School (Ocean County) product is currently an advisor for the Mets and a studio analyst for MLB Network. He used to provide color commentary for the YES Network.

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