Tyler
Leffler

6/11/16 - Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 27th round out of Bradley University.

7.7.12
Leffler opened the season on fire, earning Porsche Exchange Player of the Week honors after belting 7 homers and 19 RBI in the first week. The athletic Bradley University recruit continued his torrid hitting throughout his senior season and finished with the most impressive offensive numbers in the state.  Leffler led Benton to a 31-7 record and had the Class 2A program in the Top 25 state rankings for most of the season. The new bats certainly didn’t affect Leffler’s power numbers. He finished with an amazing 35 extra-base hits - 17 home runs, 15 doubles and 3 triples - while batting .523. He tallied 68 runs, 67 hits and 20 stolen bases. Leffler batted .500 with runners in scoring position, a big reason why he drove in 53 runs. He also slugged at a 1.086 clip and had an on-base percentage of .619. A three-year varsity standout, Leffler also posted an 8-2 record with a 3.44 ERA on the mound for the Rangers.

 
A two-way standout, Leffler really came into his own at the plate last spring. He tallied 15 doubles, 3 triples 5 home runs, 31 RBI and 38 runs. He finished with a .381 average and slugged at a .724 clip while swiping 10 bases. On the mound, the two-year varsity starter went 3-4 with 44 strikeouts in 48.1 innings. ... This 6-foot-2 right-hander proved to be one of the more projectable prospects we've seen in the Class of 2012. Leffler features an athletic frame and a fast arm, which leads us to believe he has more than the 81-83 mph fastball he showed at the event. Leffler's fastball has late life, and he also showed a sharp two-plane-break slider that has the potential to be an effective out-pitch. Posted 6-1 record with a 3.23 ERA while batting .480 with 7 home runs and 39 RBI as a sophomore.