WVU Product Jackson Wolf Earns Win in MLB Debut for Padres

Jackson Wolf picked up his first MLB win in his first start for the Padres on Saturday in Detroit.

The WVU product pitched 5 innings, allowing 3 earned runs and 6 hits while recording a walk and a lone strikeout in his MLB debut. After a rough start to the game and giving up 3 in the second inning, Wolf calmed down and relied on the defense behind him to hold off the Tigers.

First @MLB strikeout for JacKson Wolf 👏 #BringTheGold pic.twitter.com/UBXipTqTHF

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 23, 2023

Wolf also benefited from San Diego’s bats exploding for 10 runs before he left the game. While Wolf’s first outing was far from perfect or overpowering, it definitely appears like he enough to earn more opportunities.

When Wolf was called up it was unclear if he would start or come out of the bullpen. It will be interesting to see how he’s handled moving forwarded.

Wolf, 24, was selected by the Padres in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of West Virginia. Since being drafted, the 6-foot-7 lefty split his first full professional season between High-A and Double-A. To this point in 2023, Wolf has has made 17 starts with Double-A San Antonio. He has a 3.39 ERA through 85 innings.

Jackson Wolf finished his WVU career with a stellar senior season, compiling a 6-5 record with a 3.05 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 89 innings — capped off with a 139 pitch complete game against Texas, in which he gave up just five hits, one earned run and struck out seven Longhorns.

Over his WVU career, Wolf compiled a 12-11 record with a 3.62 ERA in 208.2 innings. He struck out 205 batters while allowing 178 hits, 88 walks and holding opposing batters to a .231 batting average.