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Texas’ present, future blur together as Jack Leiter, Corey Seager stand out in spring training debut

Seager hit his first home run in a Rangers uniform while Leiter put his tantalizing potential on display.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Rangers have spent so much time talking about the future, that sometimes it can be hard to see where the present ends and the future starts. Blurred lines, indeed.

On Friday, in the first game of the much-delayed exhibition season, one mingled with the other. And you know what, neither looked half bad. Granted, it was the first exhibition after a three-month lockout and exactly four team workouts. But, hey, if everything must be compressed this spring, so, too, must the hot takes.

The present: Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, the half-a-billion-dollar babies, up the middle.

The future: Jack Leiter on the mound.

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“It’s a nice blend,” manager Chris Woodward said Friday afternoon, as if he was talking about Starbucks’ newest roast. “We’ve got some young guys coming. And it’s been awesome all week just to hear the dialogue guys are having in the dugout, on the field. We’re on ‘go.”

That phrase – “on go,” – is the way he describes Seager. It can be confusing to interpret, until you see Seager play. If the first glimpse of him is anything close to what the Rangers get over the length of his 10-year deal, well, it’s going to be money well-spent.

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Seager played all of three innings in the spring opener. Got a lot out of it. Singled up the middle on the first pitch he saw. In his second at-bat, he worked himself ahead 3-and-1 of lefty Foster Griffin, then clobbered a fastball over the wall in right center for a three-run homer.

“He hits lefties; he doesn’t swing at balls; he’s constantly on go,” Woodward said. “If you wanted to find somebody to rep the offense we’re trying to build, he’s the perfect guy. He’s got a perfect swing, but more than that, he’s got the mentality that he’s always on.”

Said Semien in the clubhouse afterward, shaking his head: “It really is a beautiful swing.”

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Even worked in a bit of early-spring baseball comedy. In the top of the first, he ended up with the ball in his hand with two outs and Kansas City runners spread far and wide in places they shouldn’t be on the basepaths. Easy enough rundown. Seager jogged over to third base. Tagged both runners. And third base coach, Vance Wilson.

It’s early in spring. There have been a lot of rule changes to the game. Better to be safe than sorry.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) puts a tag on Kansas City Royals second baseman...
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) puts a tag on Kansas City Royals second baseman Nicky Lopez (8) who was caught in a rundown and doubled up at third base with Carlos Santans (41) during the first inning of a spring training game at Surprise Stadium on Friday, March 18, 2022, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

“Sometimes, you just have to tag everybody,” Seager said, as he changed out of uniform pants far dirtier than should be the case for somebody playing three innings of the exhibition opener. “It is what it is, the first spring game. It was good to be out there and move around. We’ve got to get out there and play and just kind of figure out everybody, learn what people can do, what they can’t do, and, and make up anything in between. It’s nice to just to play again; it’s fun.”

Shortly after they were done for the day, Leiter, the Rangers’ top pick in the 2021 draft took the mound for his professional debut. The day had begun with Leiter being named the 17th best prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com. He was one of five Rangers in the top 100. Only three teams – Seattle, Miami and Pittsburgh- have more. The future is bright.

And if the rankings had come out after his first inning of work, he might have cracked the top 10. The explosive 97 mph fastball was there. The slider, too. Put in real effort on a changeup. He struck out the side on 17 pitches.

He went out for a second and struck out the first hitter, too. But his command and location wavered a bit. He ended up walking two and left a changeup up to Nick Pratto, the No. 62 prospect on the list – and he drove it over the center field wall for a two-run homer. Leiter didn’t finish the inning.

“You could see the stuff,” Woodward said. “The biggest thing is just getting comfortable. You know, the umpires up here are a little tighter and the hitters are a little better. But it was cool that he had both sides of things. Pitchers have to go through that.”

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Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter delivers during the sixth inning of a spring training game...
Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter delivers during the sixth inning of a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on Friday, March 18, 2022, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Leiter was unhappy with the changeup to Pratto. He’d thrown one earlier in the count to him and could have perhaps gone back to his fastball, his best pitch, with two strikes.

“Overall, I’d probably give myself a ‘C’ if I had to grade it,” Leiter said when a certain reporter made the fairly ridiculous request to have him grade his first pro outing. “There are always positives, but there were a lot of negatives to take away. It’s kind of the nature of it, but there are some adjustments that need to be made. I felt good. I wish it went better.”

And then he launched into an explanation full of self-awareness about those adjustments. He spoke them like a veteran.

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“He made a good adjustment,” Leiter said. “And I probably didn’t. That was probably a more hittable pitch than one I’d thrown earlier. He was able to get a good look on the better one and put a good swing on the one that wasn’t quite as good. So, there are some sequencing things to work on.”

Of course, there are. It was the first game of spring. But it was also promising. He’s not ready for the majors, but you could certainly see the possibilities.

That’s the kind of day it was for the Rangers. There seemed to be hope that things are and will be getting better. When the game even the scoreboard told a little message. It was 5-5 after nine. The managers had no more pitching.

The message: The Rangers may not be ready to win, but perhaps they are done losing.

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