Jordan Leasure Continues to Strike Out Opponents and Excel in Classroom

By Brad Vos

Jordan Leasure can kill a hitter's hopes and then analyze the crime scene after.

The University of Tampa Spartans' hard-throwing right-hander studies criminology, when he is not firing fastballs past opposing batters.

A talented athlete who's ridden a big-time heater to an 11.51 K/9 in his collegiate career, the junior has always kept a focus on academics as well as baseball.

"My mom and my grandpa always told me in high school, and then in college, you have to make sure your education comes first," said Leasure, winner of the Division II Academic Achievement Award in 2020. "Baseball is not going to last forever. Whether it ends after high school or after college, or if you get to play professionally, you only get to play for a few years, if you're lucky."

Despite the emphasis Leasure puts on his academics, the Tampa native has realistic aspirations of forging a career in baseball.

"He has a full mix now to be a complete pitcher when he moves on to pro ball, which we all expect after this year," Spartans head coach Joe Urso said of Leasure.

Thanks to a fastball that is already wearing out radar guns, and a commitment to improving his off-speed offerings, the 22-year-old has a shot at the next level.

"We always had high expectations of him, but his secondary pitches have always kind of been the knock against him, and part of his weakness," said Urso.  "He's a kid that works extremely hard, his fastball now is 92 to 96, so with the feel for that changeup, to go along with the curveball, he has a full mix now."

Leasure agrees that his repertoire is coming together, but is not satisfied with where the changeup is just yet.

"I think the hardest pitch to throw in baseball is a changeup and I've been struggling with trying to get that one consistent and perfected," said Leasure. "But I think once I get that pitch to be where I want to be and I'm able to throw it off my fastball, it's going to help in getting a lot more guys out."

Brad Vos is a post-grad sports journalism student at Toronto's Centennial College.