Riverview’s Jordan Leasure has reason to smile facing Rays this week

The scouting report on White Sox rookie reliever Jordan Leasure from people on the field includes a high-octane fastball and sharp-breaking slider, a curveball to keep hitters off balance and an aggressive approach.

The scouting report from the press box is about the perpetual smile on his face as a glowing indicator of how happy the Riverview High and University of Tampa product is to be in the major leagues for the first time.

“It’s been amazing,” said Leasure, with a broad grin. “Obviously, going into spring, the goal was to make the team. So being able to do that, just proving to everybody that I deserve to be here, felt great.

“But, obviously, playing in the big leagues, that’s been the dream for a long time. So getting the opportunity to do that, I’m very grateful. And not taking any day for granted, still doing everything and trying to get better every day.”

Leasure, 25, is quite thrilled about what lies ahead this week.

He’ll have the chance to pitch as a big-leaguer for the first time at Tropicana Field, where he played in a 2016 high school all-star game and sat in stands with his grandfather for many Rays games, including Matt Garza’s 2010 no-hitter.

And he’ll be in front of many of the relatives, friends and former teammates who were there for him along the way.

“Some people were asking if I was nervous to play the Rays (in Chicago during the April 26-28 series) and I was like, ‘Not really, it’s not the same team I watched growing up.’ So it’s not quite nerve wracking,” Leasure said. “I think playing at the Trop, that’ll be a lot of, not nerves, but different emotions. And a lot of excitement.”

The feeling will be reciprocal from those coming to see Leasure and indicative of how much his journey is appreciated.

The entire University of Tampa team, in the midst of a spectacular 42-5 season, is coming over by bus for Monday’s series opener, with seats by the White Sox bullpen.

“Just couldn’t be happier for him and his family for his success,” Spartans coach Joe Urso said. “It’s a kid that just did all the extras and put in all the work in that weight room, to not only get healthy (after Tommy John elbow surgery his sophomore year), but to elevate his game.

“To have that just amazing upper-90s fastball that he has … and he did a great job developing the second pitch that he definitely needed for that next level. … Just amazing.”

Ted Leslie, who coached Leasure in the East Bay Little League program and on the Riverview Rockets travel ball team, also has a group coming to the Trop on Monday. And if Leasure doesn’t pitch, they have plans to come back Tuesday

“It’s going to be crazy exciting, for sure,” Leslie said Saturday. “So many of us are so excited for his success. My daughter and I are sitting here right now making some signs and banners.

“Just growing up with him and everything, it’s been pretty awesome.”

Leasure had plenty to prove on the way.

• Undersized at the youth league level. (”He was like the smallest kid on some of our teams,” Leslie said.)

• Playing for Riverview rather than one of the traditional Hillsborough prep powers.

• Joining the Division II Spartans, Urso said, after USF pulled an offer, and overcoming the Tommy John surgery.

• Being a 14th-round pick in the 2021 draft by the stocked-with-prospects Dodgers. (”Kind of overlooked, but that’s the way I like it,” Leasure said.)

• And being traded to the White Sox last July in the Lance Lynn deal.

Though Leasure (now 6-foot-3, 220 pounds) hadn’t gotten past Double A with the Dodgers, general manager Brandon Gomes said it was hard to let him go.

“Internally, makeup, what he was doing performance wise, we thought was really good,” Gomes said. “Our scouts loved him from an objective look. So there’s a lot of things to really like about ‘Leas.’ It’s just one of those things that sometimes you need to fill an acute need on a major-league team and you’ve got to give up good players.”

Leasure said he welcomed the clearer path to the majors that the trade presented, as the Sox sent him immediately to Triple A, which positioned him for the chance this spring to make the big-league team and fill a key role. He has pitched in 14 games with a 2.77 ERA and one save (versus the Rays on April 28).

“I was super excited, like, ‘finally.’ I was in Double A with the Dodgers for a season and a half,” Leasure said.

“Kind of everyone in the Dodgers’ org knows you kind of want to move up as much as you can and kind of get out because there’s not much room there. You’ve got to get lucky. So I was excited to come over here and get a new opportunity.”

Urso is among those who can tell how much Leasure appreciates it.

“You just said something about his smile — I was just picturing him smiling,” Urso said. “He’s still playing the game as a kid. It’s still a game. I know it’s a business, I know it’s the big leagues. But that smile, I’ll never forget.”

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