Al Leiter's advice to son Jack? 'Enjoy the ride'

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Now batting, No. 35, third baseman Jack Leiter.

In Al Leiter¡¯s perfect world, that would have been his son¡¯s future.

¡°I wanted him to be Robin Ventura playing third base and batting left-handed,¡± Al said. ¡°The most stressed parent is the one watching their kid on the mound. But that didn¡¯t work; he¡¯s a Leiter, so he couldn¡¯t hit.¡±

Instead, Jack is following in the pitching footsteps of his famous father -- and his uncle and cousin, for that matter -- as he embarks on what he hopes will be a long, successful career.

Since being selected by the Rangers with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Jack¡¯s first three years in pro ball have been a roller coaster. There have been lows (identical 2-6 records with an ERA north of 5.00 in his first two seasons in the Minors) and highs (Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year honors in 2024), but as he prepares for 2025, Jack appears to be in a better place than he¡¯s been at any point in his brief pro career.

• Why Jack Leiter's first MLB pitch was historic

¡°This was the first offseason I've had in pro ball that wasn't a revamping of mechanics or anything major,¡± Jack said. ¡°I was able to do fun stuff and kind of just hone my craft.¡±

Jack¡¯s success at Triple-A Round Rock last year didn¡¯t translate to the same in the Majors; Jack went 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA in nine games (six starts) during four stints with the Rangers. But while his first three trips to the big leagues came via spot starts, he earned a call-up in September -- one that enabled him to get a real feel for big league life.

¡°Seeing the routines that the guys do, how they go about their business in the big leagues in September, seeing what it takes to get big league hitters out at a high level -- not necessarily from experience, because obviously I wasn't able to do that in September -- you start to understand that it's never far off,¡± Jack said. ¡°It's the little things that make the difference in the big things on the back of the baseball card, but you can't really chase those. It's all about staying with the process one day at a time, one step at a time.¡±

¡°It's a little tough when you come up, get one start and go back down; you get settled in and get that sense of belonging in the Major Leagues,¡± manager Bruce Bochy said. ¡°With the bloodlines, that's a lot easier for him. ¡­ But you still need some success to breed that confidence. I think you're starting to see that now in the outings here.¡±

Jack calls his father ¡°the biggest factor in my baseball life,¡± and while the two talk often, it¡¯s not always about the intricacies of the game or a review of his last outing.

¡°His biggest advice is to enjoy the ride,¡± Jack said. ¡°He played for 19 years, and I'm sure he would trade a lot to travel back in time and play one more. Of course it's serious; it's a job, and you want to get the job done and do it at a high level and do it for a long time. But also understanding that it's nothing if you're not enjoying it.¡±

That hasn¡¯t always been easy for Jack, who is admittedly more serious than his loquacious father, who refers to himself as ¡°goofy.¡±

¡°You¡¯ve got a left-hander and a right-hander,¡± Bochy said. ¡°That's the difference.¡±

Though Al -- who has enjoyed a successful career as a TV baseball analyst -- will offer insight on Jack¡¯s performance when he deems it appropriate, his fatherly advice typically has more to do with life than baseball.

¡°Part of the wisdom of life is experiencing life,¡± Al said. ¡°With Jack, it¡¯s not a lack of work, process or program; I¡¯m often telling him, ¡®Jack, have fun! Go out with your boys. Go golf, go hiking, go to a museum; smile, laugh, turn the music up and sing!¡¯ It¡¯s so damn repetitive and stressful, because they all want to be great. My reminder is: Have fun and smile. The best players I ever played with were usually laughing, smiling and happy. Nobody plays great tense and uptight.¡±

It remains to be seen whether Jack will make the Opening Day roster, as the Rangers boast a deep staff that may push him to Triple-A to open the year. But Jack¡¯s experience last September has him feeling more confident this spring, something his father has observed since the end of last season.

¡°He saw what Major League Baseball looks like, and there¡¯s no map or blueprint or instruction manual for that; you just have to go out and do it,¡± Al said. ¡°I¡¯m not saying the kid has it figured out; far from it. But what I¡¯ve heard from him more and more over the past year, it¡¯s like, ¡®He¡¯s got it.¡¯ I love what I¡¯m hearing.¡±