STWF Sports | FRISCO, Texas | August 20, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders and Jack Leiter will look to stop a two-game skid Thursday night when they host the Wichita Wind Surge in the third game of a six-game series at Riders Field.
Jack Leiter’s Impact on the RoughRiders’ Season
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT, with right-hander Jack Leiter expected to make a Major League rehab start for Frisco. Wichita will counter with right-hander Preston Johnson (1-3, 4.11 ERA).
The RoughRiders enter the matchup at 24-23 in the second half and 63-52 overall after dropping consecutive one-run games to begin the series.
Wednesday’s 9-8 loss followed a similar script to the opener. Frisco fell behind early, rallied twice to tie the game and still came up one run short. The Riders erased deficits of 5-1 and 8-5, with Yeison Morrobel delivering a two-run triple in the fifth and Max Wagner launching a three-run homer in the eighth.
Wichita ultimately pushed across the winning run in the ninth inning.
Now, Frisco will try to turn those late rallies into a complete victory.
One of the biggest offensive storylines remains Dylan Dreiling, who enters Thursday riding a 13-game hitting streak. The Rangers’ No. 13 prospect has been one of the Texas League’s hottest hitters, batting .444 during the streak with five doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
Over his last 32 games, Dreiling is hitting .386 with 10 home runs and a 1.161 OPS. His 21 home runs are the most by a RoughRiders player since Blaine Crim hit 24 in 2022, while his power production from center field has placed him among the most productive outfielders in franchise history.
Wagner has been just as dangerous recently.
The 25-year-old has already established a career high with 18 home runs, including homers in each of the first two games against Wichita. Over his last 11 games, Wagner is batting .326 with five home runs and 16 RBIs.
His late-inning production has fit perfectly with one of Frisco’s defining traits this season.
The RoughRiders have scored 248 runs in the seventh inning or later, the most in Double-A, and have been especially productive in the eighth. Frisco has scored 99 eighth-inning runs this season and 58 during the second half alone.
That late-game offense has helped make the Riders one of the most dangerous hitting clubs in the minors.
Through 115 games, Frisco leads Double-A with 1,056 hits and a .269 batting average while ranking second with 690 runs. The Riders also lead the Texas League in doubles and slugging percentage while sitting near the top of the circuit in home runs and OPS.
Frisco has recorded at least eight hits in 11 consecutive games, its longest such streak of the season.
The lineup also features top Rangers prospect Sebastian Walcott, who returned from the injured list Aug. 12 after missing time following a pickoff throw that struck him in the head. Walcott has produced a .291/.341/.519 slash line through his first 19 games this season.
While Thursday provides another opportunity to regain momentum, Frisco’s larger goal has already been secured.
The RoughRiders clinched the Texas League South Division first-half title in June, earning the franchise’s 11th playoff appearance and first postseason berth since 2024.
With postseason baseball already guaranteed, the next challenge is building momentum toward September.
A strong outing from Leiter and another productive night from one of Double-A’s best offenses could be exactly what the Riders need to reverse the direction of a series that has slipped away by the narrowest of margins.
