The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Leftwich excelling in many roles at Lynchburg
With 70 strikeouts, eight walks and a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings to start his pro career in 2022, you wouldn’t guess Guardians 2021 seventh-round draft pick Jack Leftwich hasn’t had a consistent pitching role in the last year or so.
The 6-foot-4 right-hander from the University of Florida was a starter for the Gators for the first three years of his college career. After going undrafted in the shortened 2020 MLB Draft, Leftwich returned to Florida and ended up serving many roles for the Gators’ pitching staff. He was a starter, fireman and closer at times. He started six games, saved five, and posted a 3.62 ERA in 69 2/3 innings in his final collegiate season.
So far, Leftwich has been a piggyback starter and is now a starter in the Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats rotation on his own, and piling up good outing after good outing.
“I started for the first three years in college,” Leftwich said of his varied pitching history. “At first, (Florida) worked me into it with a clean inning. Then it happened out of nowhere. I’m not the kind of person to complain or say anything. I just do whatever my coaches want me to do. I kind of ran with it. I started to like the closer role. It was nice to sit back and then hurry to get warmed up. It helped when I got drafted because they still don’t know if they want me to start or be a reliever or closer. This year, I was piggybacking in the beginning and had success. Now I’m starting and having success. So it’s good that I can handle any role.”
Like many arms Cleveland has drafted, Leftwich is working on some improvements from college that have helped him take off. Along with some data and instruction from the organization’s pitching development group, Leftwich is trying to change how his fastball, which runs 92-97 mph at times, moves up in the zone, to better play off his big slider, as he continues to incorporate his changeup more often.
“One thing that has helped is learning about where my pitches work best against hitters, and where I should target them,” the 23-year-old right-hander said of his improvements in the pros.