Joe Ariola

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #249 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Wake Forest Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 21.4
  
  Ariola is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound lefthander who has flashed loud stuff but has never consistently put everything together in college. A three-year reliever with Wake Forest, Ariola owns a career 5.47 ERA over 51 innings with a 30.2% strikeout rate and 16.9% walk rate. That walk rate points to his control issues, and in his 2025 draft season he pitched to a career-high 23% walk rate—one of the highest among college pitchers with at least 20 innings. Ariola remains a prospect because his stuff is loud and in flashes when he puts it over the plate he shows stretches of dominance. He sits around 93 mph and touches 96 with his fastball and generates solid riding life from an over-the-top slot. His low-80s downer curveball is a high-spin breaking ball with terrific depth, and he’ll also mix in a mid-80s slider/cutter that has more sweeping action. Ariola also throws a mid-80s changeup, but rarely uses it. When he can put his mix in the zone, hitters struggle, but far too frequently he doesn’t challenge batters enough and they can simply take four balls and trot to first. Ariola had a strong bullpen session at the MLB Draft combine after the season. He could still fit inside the first 10 rounds as a risky, high-upside bullpen play.
• Ranked #63 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Wake Forest Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 21.4
  
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Ariola is a power-armed lefthander with a 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame who pitched out of the bullpen for Wake Forest in his first two college seasons. He made four starts with Bourne in the Cape Cod League in 2024, but without improving his below-average control he fits best in a reliever role. While his control is scattered, scouts believe Ariola has a chance for three plus pitches between his riding 92-96 mph four-seam fastball, a high-spin curveball in the upper 70s with terrific depth and a mid-80s slider/cutter.