Pirates Trade WVU Product Jackson Wolf Back to Padres

About eight months after being traded from San Diego to Pittsburgh, former Mountaineer Jackson Wolf is headed out west again. The Pirates flipped Wolf back to the Padres on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh acquired infielder Kervin Pichardo. San Diego optioned Wolf to Triple-A El Paso.

Today, the @Padres acquired LHP Jackson Wolf from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for INF Kervin Pichardo, and the club optioned Wolf to Triple-A El Paso.

— PadresPR (@PadresPR) April 2, 2024

Wolf, himself a fourth-round pick, went to the Padres in 2021 after four years and 208.2 innings in Morgantown, compiling a 3.62 ERA with 205 strikeouts.

While Wolf stands 6-foot-7, he doesn’t fit the bill of a prototypical power pitcher. Rather than trying to overwhelm his opponents, Wolf tries to outsmart them with a four-seam fastball that tops out in the high 80s and a hard-breaking slider and changeup, which sit in the mid-70s and low 80s, respectively.

He made his MLB debut in July, appearing in one game for the Padres as a spot starter and allowing three runs across five innings.  Beyond that game, the highest minor league level he’s played at to date is Double-A, so he could use some more time to develop.

With his lanky frame, Jackson Wolf could easily build velocity. He’s a project arm, but one the Padres clearly still believe in.