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Rangers' Jack Leiter Adds Cutter to Pitch Arsenal
The young pitcher aims to become more unpredictable on the mound with his new pitch.
Published on Feb. 24, 2026
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Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter has added a cutter to his pitch repertoire this spring training, in an effort to become more unpredictable and diversify his fastball variants. Leiter, who had success with a new changeup last year, believes the cutter will help him attack hitters' weaknesses by providing another look alongside his four-seam and two-seam fastballs.
Why it matters
Leiter is considered one of the Rangers' top pitching prospects, and his continued development of new pitches could help him take the next step in his young MLB career. Adding a cutter gives him another weapon to keep hitters off-balance and increase his chances of success at the highest level.
The details
In his Cactus League debut against the Los Angeles Angels, Leiter threw two cutters that resulted in outs. He wants to use the cutter, which topped out at 93.1 mph, alongside his four-seam fastball (98.9 mph) and two-seam fastball (sinker) to attack each hitter's weaknesses. Leiter was inspired by the "three-way fastball" model used by other pitchers, believing it makes him harder to predict and cover for hitters.
- Leiter experimented with the cutter this spring training.
The players
Jack Leiter
A right-handed pitcher for the Texas Rangers who is considered one of the team's top pitching prospects.
Nolan Schanuel
A first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels who grounded out against Leiter's cutter.
Josh Lowe
A center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels who popped out against Leiter's cutter.
What they’re saying
“I'm just continuing to work towards being unpredictable. Being unpredictable, throwing a lot of strikes, that's the name of the game. Change speeds, change locations and stay on the attack.”
— Jack Leiter, Texas Rangers Pitcher (dallasnews.com)
“I see why. It's hard to cover all of it as a hitter. It's always the chess match, and based on scouting reports, a lot of hitters have holes in balls going one direction over another. Just to have the blueprint for every lineup is important.”
— Jack Leiter, Texas Rangers Pitcher (dallasnews.com)
The takeaway
Leiter's addition of a cutter to his pitch arsenal demonstrates his commitment to continual improvement and becoming a more unpredictable and effective pitcher at the major league level. His willingness to experiment with new pitches could pay dividends as he looks to solidify his spot in the Rangers' rotation.
