Red Sox: Alex Cora can’t stop drooling over MLB Draft prospect Jack Leiter

Alex Cora might’ve just revealed the Boston Red Sox MLB Draft plans.

With Kumar Rocker lurking in the same rotation, it’s easy to forget about consensus top-5 pick come the 2021 MLB Draft, Jack Leiter. The Vanderbilt hurler is already drawing comparisons to his father, longtime MLB pitcher Al Leiter.

Leiter threw a no-hitter on Saturday afternoon, only further bolstering his status as one of the best pitching prospects in all of college baseball. It should come as no surprise that Vanderbilt’s starting rotation consists of two of the best amateur pitchers of the past decade, as it’s the same program that harbored David Price at one time.

As it turns out, Alex Cora was watching Leiter on Saturday, and he likes what he sees.

Will Jack Leiter fall to the Boston Red Sox this July?

That feels unlikely, as Leiter seems more likely to go either No. 1 or No. 2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates or Texas Rangers. Should he get past both, then there’s a chance the Red Sox could nab him, as the Detroit Tigers, selecting third, have an abundance of pitching in the organization, and will likely prioritize position player talent.

Wherever Leiter goes, he won’t be in the minor league system for long. Both he and his teammate Rocker are among the most polished pitching prospects we’ve seen in quite some time, making them more MLB-ready the second they’re taken. This doesn’t mean teams won’t be cautious with Leiter, as is often the case with top pitching talent.

Prior to his Saturday start, Leiter’s numbers already jumped off the page. Per Baseball Reference, Leiter sports a 4-0 record, paired with a .45 ERA and .850 WHIP.

The hype train has officially left the station, and if Cora has his way, will be en route to Boston soon enough.