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Jack Leiter faced off with Royals prospect Bobby Witt Jr. in first spring training game with Rangers

Texas’ 2021 first-rounder admitted to feeling a little “jumpy” facing an opponent for the first time as pro.

SURPRISE, Ariz. - It was a matchup for the generations.

Second-generations, that is.

For the first time as a pro, Jack Leiter, the second pick in the 2021 draft, faced a hitter in a different uniform on Friday. Among those opponents in Kansas City uniforms just happened to be Colleyville’s Bobby Witt Jr., the second pick in the 2019 draft. Both are also second-generation MLB players, the sons of Al Leiter and Bobby Witt.

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The matchup was over pretty quickly, too. Witt singled to left on the first pitch. On this one, Leiter can be excused since it was the first inning of his first spring training game ever. He got four outs while throwing 30 pitches with a sizzling fastball that ranged up to 98 mph. He struck out two, walked two and hit a batter.

“It was awesome to get out there and face another team,” Leiter said afterwards. “I think everybody was a little jumpy since it was the first game. At times that worked against me. The feel wasn’t completely there. I’m not going to put too much weight into it, but as a competitor, you do want to succeed.”

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After the Rangers selected Leiter, 21, with the second pick, he did not pitch during the summer and did not participate in the fall instructional league. He returned to Vanderbilt for the fall semester to continue work towards his degree. It was the first time he’d pitched in a game environment since last June when he pitched in the College World Series.

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