José Leclerc

BIOGRAPHY

José Ramón Leclerc was born on December 19, 1993, in Esperanza, Dominican Republic. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Leclerc signed with the Texas Rangers as an international free agent on November 20, 2010. Leclerc made his professional debut in 2011 with the DSL Rangers, posting a 3–1 win-loss record with a 2.36 earned run average (ERA) and 27 strikeouts in 34 1⁄3 innings pitched. He returned to the DSL Rangers for the 2012 season, pitching to a 3–1 record, a 1.54 ERA, and 41 strikeouts in 46 2⁄3 innings. In 2013, Leclerc pitched for the Hickory Crawdads of the Class A South Atlantic League. He had a 3–4 record with a 3.36 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 59 innings. He spent the 2014 season with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League and finished the season with a 4–1 record with a 3.30 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 57 1⁄3 innings. Leclerc was worked as a starting pitcher for the Frisco RoughRiders of the Class AA Texas League in 2015. He struggled to a 6–8 record with 5.77 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 103 innings.

The Rangers added Leclerc to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season. He began the 2016 season with Frisco, posting a 3.52 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 23 innings. He received a midseason promotion to the Round Rock Express of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he posted a 2–2 record with a 2.72 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 43 innings.

The Rangers promoted Leclerc major leagues on July 5, 2016. In all, Leclerc posted a 0–0 record with a 1.80 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 15 innings (12 games) of major league action.

Leclerc made the Texas Rangers' 2017 Opening Day roster out of spring training. He earned his first career save April 12 vs. Los Angeles Angels, entering the game with one out and a runner on second in the 8th inning with a 6–3 lead before striking out Mike Trout and getting Albert Pujols to fly out.

After completing rehab, Leclerc returned to MLB action in June 2022. That season he went 0–3 with a 2.83 ERA, 54 strikeouts, and 7 saves over 47+2⁄3 innings.

In the 2023 postseason, Leclerc set an MLB record by becoming the first pitcher to close his team's first seven games of the postseason. He threw 7+1⁄3 innings, allowed just one run, and recorded three saves over that span.

On October 28, Leclerc made his World Series debut, pitching two innings and earning the win as the Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in extra innings. He won his first World Series with the 2023 Rangers.