Pirates prospect update: Pitcher Jaden Woods

Could this former bulldog be the next great reliever for Pittsburgh?

On this edition of the Pirates Prospect update series, we take a look at relief pitcher Jaden Woods, who could make an impact in Pittsburgh’s bullpen very soon.

Woods is no stranger to competition, having spent three years playing for the University of Georgia in the SEC. In his three years at Georgia, Woods posted a career ERA of 4.97, with a record of 8-5 over 52 appearances. His Junior year saw his best stats coming out of the pen, where he registered four saves.

The Pirates drafted Woods in the seventh round of the 2023 draft, and since then he has show in small sample sizes the kind of damage he can do as a reliever in Pittsburgh’s system. Following a stint of bicep tendinitis, the athletic hurler simplified his pitch mix, leaning largely on his fastball and slider.

Since being drafted, Woods has pitched well, working up to Double-A Altoona this year where his simplified mix has continued to be successful. He hits the strike zone consistently with his slider that sits in the low-80’s and generates a lot of swing and miss opportunities. His athleticism aids in him being able to repeat his motion, just not enough to where he could be a big league starter, but has clearly shown he has good tools to come out of the bullpen.

The Pirates have been making an effort to retool their bullpen in the last couple of seasons, and have had their ups and downs in that process. 2024 saw the squad finish fourth from the bottom of baseball in ERA, so it’s fair to say they still need some rebuilding done. Given that the pen is not in a great state, Woods is projected to make the jump as early as this season. I think it’s very likely that the team keeps a close eye on him in the Spring, but probably option him to Triple-A to start the season.

Jaden Woods is currently the 29th ranked prospect for the Pittsburgh Pirates.