Mark Leiter Jr. #56

Full name is Mark Edward Leiter Jr...His father, Mark, pitched 11 MLB seasons with the Yankees (1990), Detroit (1991-93), California (1994), San Francisco (1995-96), Montreal (1996), Philadelphia (1997-98), Seattle (1999) and Milwaukee (2001)...His uncle, Al, played 19 years in the Majors (1987-2005), was a two-time All-Star (1996 with Florida, 2000 with the Mets) and a two-time World Series Champion (1993 with Toronto, 1997 with Florida)...His cousin, Jack, currently pitches for the Texas Rangers and was selected second overall in the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft...Graduated in 2013 from New Jersey Institute of Technology...Was the second player to be drafted from NJIT (Ed Carlton, CIN, 2015) and the first to make the Majors…Struck out 20 batters in a game with NJIT on May 3, 2013, which, at the time, was a school record and the highest single-game total that season in all of Division I...Graduated from Toms River High School North (N.J.).

2024

In 60 combined relief appearances with Chicago-NL and the Yankees, went 4-5 with a 4.50 ERA (58.0 IP, 55 H, 34R/29ER, 22 BB, 86 K, 8 HR)...Opponents batted .238/.313/.390 (55-for-231, 8 HR); LH .240/.310/.364 (31-for-129, 3 HR); RH .235/.316/.422 (24-for-102, 5 HR)...Among Major League relievers, ranked eighth in K/9.0IP (13.34)...Recorded multiple strikeouts in 25 of his appearances, including 3 K in 14 of those games...Made 21 relief appearances with the Yankees, going 2-1 with a 4.98 ERA (21.2 IP, 28 H, 14R/12ER, 9 BB, 33 K, 6 HR)...Began the season with the Chicago Cubs, going 2-4 with a 4.21 ERA (36.1 IP, 27 H, 20R/17ER, 13 BB, 53 K, 2 HR) in 39 relief appearances...Earned his first win of the season on 4/29 at the Mets with Chicago-NL (0.2 IP)...Was placed on the 15-day injured list on 6/23 with a right forearm strain...Missed 14 team games...Was reinstated on 7/9...Recorded a season-high 8.2 scoreless inning streak from 7/9-30...Over his final seven appearances with the Cubs from 7/9-28, retired all 23 batters faced (7.2 IP, 14 K, 1 WP)...Went 1-0 with a 0.66 ERA (13.2 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 22 K, 0 HR) in 13 relief outings from 7/9-8/10 (G2)...Opposing batters hit just .176 (9-for-51) over that stretch...Was acquired by the Yankees from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for INF Ben Cowles and RHP Jack Neely on 7/30...At the time of his trade to the Yankees (7/30), had posted a 13.13K/9.0IP ratio, the fifth-highest K/9.0IP ratio among National League relievers and 10th-highest among Major League relievers…His 34.9% strikeout rate (53K/152BF) also ranked fifth among NL relievers...His 14.3 inherited runners scored percentage (3-of-21) was the best in the National League and the third-lowest in the Majors in that span (3/28-7/29)...Made his Yankees debut on 7/30 at Philadelphia, tossing a scoreless 10th inning (1 H, 1 IBB)...With his father pitching for the Yankees in 1990, the Leiters became the third father/son duo in Yankees history to both play for the club, joining Ron Davis and Ike Davis, and Yogi Berra and Dale Berra...Earned his first win as a Yankee on 8/4 vs. Toronto after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings in relief (3 K, 1 HP)...Was placed on the paternity list on 9/26 and was reinstated on 9/29 (missed three games)...Pitched in the postseason for the first time in his career, going 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA (5.1 IP, 1 ER) and 5 K in six relief appearances...Was not on the Yankees’ ALDS roster...Was added to the Yankees’ ALCS roster prior to Game 4 at Cleveland as an injury replacement for Ian Hamilton...Made his postseason debut that night and earned the win (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1R/ER, 1BB/1IBB, 2 K)...Entered the game with two men on in the seventh inning and stranded both inherited runners...Pitched in four of the Yankees’ five World Series games, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings...Did not let any of his five inherited runners score during the series...Stranded three inherited runners in the third inning of Game 3 of the World Series vs. Los Angeles-NL (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB).

2023

Mark went 1-3 with a 3.50 ERA (25 ER/64.1 IP) in 69 games, all in relief, with the Cubs in 2023...recorded 77 strikeouts and 24 walks with a 1.12 WHIP...Recorded a career-high four saves and a career-low 3.50 ERA...Ranked second among the Cubs bullpen in strikeouts (77)...his 10.77 strikeouts per 9.0 IP ranked second among Cubs pitchers (min. 25 G)...His .128 opponent average in June ranked fourth among N.L. relievers (min. 5 G)...had a 1.64 ERA (2 ER/11.0 IP) with a 0.73 WHIP in 10 appearances during the month...Earned his first win of the season on April 18 at Oakland...tallied two strikeouts and allowed one walk in 1.0 innings...From July 17-Aug. 20, posted an ERA of 0.57 (1 ER/15.2 IP)...held batters to zero or one hit in each game during the stretch...Notched a season-high four strikeouts Aug. 3 vs. Cincinnati...In 14 games in Aug., he pitched to a 2.25 ERA (3 ER/12.0 IP) with one save, eight holds and 17 strikeouts, compared to four walks and a .186 opponent average, including a season-high nine-game scoreless stretch Aug. 3-20 (7.2 IP).

2022

Went 2-7 with three saves in 35 outings with the Cubs during the 2022 season...posted a 3.99 ERA (30 ER/67.2 IP) with 73 strikeouts and a .210 opponent average... Made six appearances with Triple-A Iowa (all starts) and went 0-3 with a 5.32 ERA, striking out 32 batters, compared to six walks, good for 13.09 strikeouts per nine innings pitched... Recorded his first career save on Aug. 16 at Washington, striking out two of the three batters he faced... Picked up his first career multi-inning save on Sept. 28 against the Phillies... On July 2 vs. Boston, became the first Cubs reliever to earn a win while tossing at least 5.1 innings and allowing one-run-or-fewer since Glendon Rusch did so on July 15, 2004... Had a 2.25 ERA (5 ER/20.0 IP) in his final 17 games of the season dating to Aug. 15, holding opponents without an earned run in 13 of those games...led Cubs relievers in that span.

2021

Spent the 2021 season with Triple-A Toledo and Double-A Erie ... in 25 games (19 starts) Mark registered a 3.77 ERA (48 ER/ 114.0 IP), going 10-8 ... he recorded 145 strikeouts and only 31 walks. 

2019

Missed the entire 2019 season following Tommy John surgery.

2018

Threw 23.1 combined innings for Philadelphia and Toronto in 2018, recording a 7.71 ERA (20 ER) and a 0-1 record with 22 strikeouts... In 23 appearances in the minors, all in relief, he registered a 3.24 ERA (12 ER/ 33.1 IP) and went 3-1. 

2017

Finished 9th among NL rookies in OPP AVG (.254) & SO/BB (2.71) and 10th in SO (84)... Began the season with Lehigh Valley (AAA)... Struck out 8 batters in 2.2 innings, 4/12 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre... Had his contract selected on 4/18, his fi rst of 3 stints with the club... Made his ML debut on 4/28 at LAD; he and his father, Mark (1997-98), became 2nd father-son duo ever to play for the Phillies (Ruben Amaro Sr., 1960-64, and Ruben Amaro Jr., 1992-93, 96-98)... Did not allow more than 1 hit in any of his first 10 career outings (.113 AVG, 6-53)... Made his first career start, 6/23 at ARI; he and his father became the 14th father-son combo to start for the same ML team... Tossed 6.0 shutout innings (3 H, 5 SO) in his first start... His consecutive appearances on 8/5 at COL (4.1 IP) and 8/10 vs NYM (5.0 IP) were the two longest by a Phillies reliever since Tyler Cloyd (5.0 IP) on 8/24/13... His 9 SO on 8/5 were a career high, and most by any Phillies reliever since 5/3/70 at SF (Lowell Palmer, 10 SO)... Became the fi rst Phillies reliever and 9th in MLB since the current mound distance was established in 1893 to have consecutive appearances with at least 7 SO (9 on 8/5 and 7 on 8/10)... Tied a career high with 9 SO on 9/21 vs LAD, becoming the first Phillies pitcher with 9 SO in both a start and relief appearance in a season since 1959 (Gene Conley)... Had a 1.87 ERA (7 ER, 33.2 IP) in his first 9 home games and 3.06 ERA (17 ER, 50.0 IP) overall at Citizens Bank Park... Posted a 5.19 ERA (35 ER, 60.2 IP) in 11 starts and a 4.50 ERA (15 ER, 30.0 IP) in 16 relief appearances.

2016

Was on the DL to begin the season recovering from right rotator cuff surgery... Reinstated on 5/9 and assigned to Reading (AA)... Allowed 3 ER or fewer in 14 of his 17 starts... Posted a 2.39 ERA (7 ER, 26.1 IP) in 6 games (4 starts) during July... Surrendered only 2 ER (1.15 ERA) and held opponents to a .143 AVG (7-49) in 15.1 relief innings... In his fi nal 12 games (10 starts), posted a 3.19 ERA (20 ER, 57.1 IP) with 61 SO.

2015

Began the season with Clearwater (A)... Selected as a Florida State League midseason All-Star... Led the Phillies minor league system in SO for the 2nd straight year (121)... In his fi rst 11 games (5 starts), went 3-1 with a 1.48 ERA (8 ER, 48.2 IP), 49 SO, 1 SV... Promoted to Reading on 6/15... On temporary inactive list, 7/10-19... Transferred to Clearwater, 8/6, where he posted a 3.00 ERA over his final four starts (9 ER, 27.0 IP).

2014

Led the Phillies minor league system in SO (141)... T-2nd in the Florida State League in SHO (1) and T-5th in CG (1)... Began the season with Lakewood (A)... Went 3-1, 1.97 ERA (7 ER, 32.0 IP) in 5 April starts... Was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week twice: 4/21-27 and 7/14-20... Promoted to Clearwater on 6/25... Tossed his 1st professional SHO, 7/20 vs Charlotte (9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 8 SO)... Had a professional-high 10 SO, 8/14 at Dunedin.

2013

Began pro career with Gulf Coast League Phillies (R)... Was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August and Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week, 8/19-25... Posted a 1.57 ERA (4 ER, 23.0 IP) while averaging 10.17 SO/9.0 IP in 11 games with the GCL Phillies... Shuttled between the GCL Phillies and Clearwater before being transferred to Lakewood on 8/18 for the remainder of the season... Went 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA (1 ER, 21.0 IP) in 4 starts between Lakewood and Clearwater.