The Yankees might just have a hidden gem in Mark Leiter Jr., who showed flashes of quality in 2024 but struggled to keep the ball in the yard. At 33 years old, Leiter’s career has been something of a winding road, but with a few tweaks to his pitch usage, he could be primed for a breakout campaign in 2025.
A Tale of Two Seasons
Leiter’s 2024 season was a mixed bag. Between the Chicago Cubs and Yankees, he pitched 58 innings, including 21.2 in pinstripes. While his 4.98 ERA with the Yankees doesn’t jump off the page, the underlying numbers tell a more optimistic story. He struck out an impressive 13.71 batters per nine innings, ranked in the 96th percentile in chase rate, and was in the 99th percentile in whiff rate.
But Leiter had a glaring Achilles’ heel: the long ball. He allowed 2.49 home runs per nine innings, a stark increase from the 0.50 he surrendered with the Cubs. The problem wasn’t his stuff—it was pitch selection and location. His sinker, in particular, became a liability, allowing a staggering .394 batting average.
Dominance in October
Leiter saved his best for the postseason, giving the Yankees 5.1 dominant innings with a 1.69 ERA. His splitter became the star of the show, a pitch that opposing hitters could barely touch. With a .099 batting average against and a 36.1% usage rate in 2024, it’s clear the splitter is Leiter’s bread and butter.
The Yankees might want to take a page out of their playoff playbook and lean heavily on that splitter moving forward. By reducing his sinker usage—arguably his weakest pitch—Leiter could drastically improve his overall effectiveness.
A Pitch Arsenal Built for Whiffs
Leiter’s pitch mix is one of the more intriguing aspects of his game. Alongside his splitter, he employs a sinker, curveball, and sweeper. The curveball and sweeper both had flashes of effectiveness last season, but neither is as dominant as the splitter. The Yankees’ analytics department could fine-tune Leiter’s pitch sequencing, emphasizing what works and ditching what doesn’t.
This kind of adjustment wouldn’t be groundbreaking—just look at how the Yankees have helped other pitchers unlock new levels of performance. Leiter already has the tools; he just needs a nudge in the right direction.
Arbitration Drama Looms
Leiter filed for $2.5 million in arbitration, while the Yankees countered with $2.05 million. While the $450,000 difference isn’t massive, that’s a nice chunk of change to argue over. If he can deliver on the promise he showed in October, that extra half a million might look like a bargain by midseason.
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Leiter may not be Luke Weaver of Devin Williams, but every great bullpen or rotation needs its unsung heroes. With some strategic tweaks, he could emerge as one of the Yankees’ most valuable depth pieces in 2025, turning that splitter into a true weapon and leaving opposing hitters baffled.