The Diamondbacks have signed right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. to a minor league deal. Leiter announced the move last week on his Instagram page, with the caption “new elbow, new team.”
Leiter missed all of the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last March. Given the normal 12-15 month timeline for TJ recovery, Leiter might not yet be ready to pitch even if the D’Backs did want to put him on their Opening Day roster, though he could also continue to recover and ramp up in the minors until he is ready for a potential big league return. Assuming good health, Leiter provides the Diamondbacks with a versatile depth arm who has worked as both a starter and reliever.
Most recently a member of the Blue Jays roster, Leiter (who turns 29 next month) became a free agent after the season. The righty has a 5.53 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 2.47 K/BB rate, and 48.2% grounder rate over 114 career MLB innings, all with the Phillies and Blue Jays in 2017-18. While some ERA indicators (4.37 xFIP, 4.23 SIERA) hint that Leiter’s real-world ERA is unduly inflated, Leiter hasn’t helped himself by allowing 25 home runs over his 114 frames of work, averaging out to an untenable 1.97 HR/9.
Bbyrkett
Nice to see Al Leiters boy healthy again
dynamite drop in monty
Dummy. That’s Felix Leiter’s kid
Captain Dunsel
He may not have a golden arm, but at least he has a Goldfinger.
nymetsking
Post of the week has already been clinched.
Captain Dunsel
I’m happy to see the two of you Bond.
Captain Dunsel
It will help your Q rating.
SoCalStuntman
Al is his uncle
Bbyrkett
*sarcasm*
PapiElf
Brian Leiter? American philosopher?
Jeff Zanghi
You realize that given his name is Mark Leiter “JR” he can’t possibly be Al’s song right!? Haha… he’s Al’s brother Mark’s son (so nephew of Al) haha
mattylitee
I don’t believe you
dynamite drop in monty
Seems like an obvious ruse in order to deceive us.
dynamite drop in monty
Always look on the Leiter side of life.
scarfish
RofA
stevewpants
So remember when you’re feeling very small and insecure, how amazingly unlikely is your birth. And pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere out in space, because there’s bugger-all down here on Earth.
Captain Dunsel
I see you like to spam a lot.
stevewpants
I like to push the pram a lot.
DarkSide830
liked him in Philly. not spectacular, but might be a solid swingman.
jonnymac2for1
His dad has an awesome baseball reference pic. It’s really awesome.
dynamite drop in monty
Lol thats great. The Leiter fam has a strained relationship w photographs, I remember Al’s 88 topps rookie card actually had the picture of some other jabroni. So I don’t blame Mark for having that non impressed pose lol
hiflew
That was Yankees legend Steve George pictured on that card. In fairness, George and Leiter did look a lot alike. I have NO idea why that fact sticks in my head, but it does.
dynamite drop in monty
Haha impressive.
hiflew
In fairness, most Detroit Tigers in the 1990s looked like they had a headache at all times.
dynamite drop in monty
Hahahaha
sergefunction
Mark Leiter was easily the kindest, nicest player of visiting teams at ballpark X during his time.
Sorry to hear that he did not have a son.