Jackson Wolf

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #21 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: Wolf was drafted out of West Virginia in the fourth round of the 2021 draft and signed for $300,000. He lost most of his draft year when the pandemic cut short the 2020 college season, then returned for his senior campaign after going unselected. He was traded in 2023 as part of a three-player package that brought Rich Hill and Ji-Man Choi to San Diego. Wolf made his big league debut on July 22, when he was still with the Padres. He went five innings against the Tigers that day and earned his first big league win.
  
  Scouting Report: Wolf’s raw stuff isn’t overpowering, but he gets his outs on the strength of his long levers and excellent extension. His fastball averages around 91 mph, and he backs the pitch with a slurvy slider in the mid 70s and a low-80s split-changeup. The changeup is his best secondary for swings and misses, while the breaking ball is a pitch he can land for strikes early in counts. He throws plenty of strikes and can deftly move his pitches around the zone to induce weak contact.
  
  The Future: Aside from the spot start, Wolf spent his season at Double-A with both of his clubs. He’ll move to Triple-A in 2024 and fits best as a bulk reliever or a No. 5 starter on a second-division club.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 40 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #228 prospect in 2021 draft
  Wolf was off to a career year in 2020 before the season was cut short. He posted a 1.05 ERA and was looking at the best strikeout-to-walk rate of his career, with 27 whiffs and just five walks through the first 25.2 innings of the season. Wolf had some interest from teams last year, but ultimately went unselected in the five-round draft and should now be one of the priority seniors in the 2021 class. A tall and lanky 6-foot-7, 200-pound lefthander, Wolf posted a 3.03 ERA over 14 starts and 89 innings, while striking out 104 batters (10.5 K/9) and walking 37 (3.7 BB/9). Wolf is not the hardest thrower. He works in the 88-91 mph range and gets up to 93-94 at his best, but teams love the vertical break on his fastball and believe it plays up thanks to his size and the spin profile. Wolf also throws a slurvy breaking ball in the upper 70s that looks more like a slider at times and more like a three-quarter curveball at others. The pitch shows solid tilt and late bite at its best, but it can get loopy and hittable as well. Wolf has less feel to land a low-80s changeup that shows some diving life and is another fringe-average sort of secondary. Wolf throws from a lower, three-quarter arm slot that is particularly tough on lefties, who struck out 30% of the time against him.
• Ranked #470 prospect in 2020 draft
  A tall and lanky, 6-foot-7, 205-pound lefthander, Wolf’s stuff plays up thanks to his height and the extension he gets off the mound, and was off to a career-year in 2020. He throws a fastball in the 88-91 mph range, which is below-average velocity, but scouts have noted that the pitch plays up and he racked up plenty of whiffs. His TrackMan numbers are reportedly impressive, which could intrigue more analytically inclined teams even with the fringy secondaries Wolf throws. He throws a slurvy breaking ball that looks like a slider when he gets on top, but he too frequently rolls over on the pitch. His changeup also needs development to get to average. There are some ingredients to like with Wolf, and he posted a 1.05 ERA over four starts and 25.2 innings this spring, with career bests in strikeout and walk rates.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  August Update: Wolf is a funky lefthander with fringe-average stuff, but everything plays up with the unique angles on his pitches and his above-average command. He spins two average breaking balls that will help him be effective against lefties at higher levels and has a chance to be a long relief option.