Jake Irvin

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #22 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: The University of Oklahoma-to-Nationals pitching pipeline began with Irvin. He was selected by the club in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He shared a roster with Nationals top pitching prospect Cade Cavalli for one year with the Sooners. Irvin started slow in 2019 at Low-A Hagerstown but finished the season strong. In 2020, during instructional league, he felt some tightness in his elbow and had Tommy John surgery that October. He sat out the entire 2021 season and returned to the mound in 2022, where he split time between High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg.
  
  Scouting Report: Irvin has a three-pitch mix led by a fastball that sits around 94 mph and gets up to 97-98 at peak, with mediocre life. His go-to secondary is a low-80s curveball that is described as a power slurve by some scouts. He has good feel for his breaking ball, but a firm, upper-80s changeup remains a work in progress. Irvin has feel to throw all three pitches for strikes and posted a strong 6.6% walk rate.
  
  The Future: The righthander's pitch quality gives him a chance to profile as a back-of-the-rotation starter, but he will need to build up his arm and get more innings versus age-appropriate competition in the upper minors.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #23 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: A three-year starter and all-Big 12 Conference performer at Oklahoma, Irvin signed for $550,000 as a fourth-round pick in 2018 and has been a workhorse in the Nationals' system. He went at least five innings in 20 of his 25 starts in 2019 and finished the year strong, earning an invitation to the alternate training site in 2020. Irvin spent the summer pitching against more experienced players, but he suffered an elbow injury and had Tommy John surgery in October.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Irvin has plenty of stuff and impressed Nationals manager Dave Martinez with his 94-97 mph fastball in a simulated game at Nationals Park. He also has a plus, power curveball that he throws in the 78-80 mph range and has at least an average changeup. Irvin has improved at attacking hitters and throwing inside, and he's capable of missing more bats. His mix and his durability give him a chance to remain a starter, but his arm action may be more suited toward relieving.
  
  THE FUTURE: Irvin will miss the entire 2021 season recovering from surgery. His future outlook will depend on what his stuff looks like when he returns.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #15 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: A Minnesota native, Irvin was a three-year starter at Oklahoma, including the last two as a Friday night ace. He won six games in each of his three seasons with the Sooners. In his draft year, he led the Big 12 with 115 strikeouts in 95 innings and was the conference's Scholar Athlete of the Year with a 3.83 GPA as a human resources major. He signed for $550,000.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Irvin was able to grind through a season that didn't come easy at Hagerstown. In April, he had an 8.24 ERA in five starts. But he shot up at the end of the year, showing a 94-96 mph fastball in instructional league with a plus curveball and at least an average changeup. After throwing a slider in college, he has developed a hard-breaking curve as a professional. Irvin is durable and athletic on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: Irvin had a 1.67 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 27 innings over his five August starts for the Suns. That finish has him on track to go to the high Class A Carolina League in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #10 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Irvin improved every year at Oklahoma, culminating in a 6-2 junior campaign in which he posted a 3.41 ERA with 115 strikeouts to just 28 walks in 95 innings. With an impressive Big 12 track record and a large, 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame, the Nationals signed Irvin for $550,000.
  
  Scouting Report: While his build and college track record are both impressive, Irvin's stuff is more ordinary than overwhelming. He has a solid-average fastball that's routinely in the 90-94 mph range, only occasionally touching 95 or 96. His slider is average, a low 80s breaking ball with solid finish that he's able to throw for strikes in most counts, but the pitch gets slurvy at times and he'll need to sharpen it moving forward. Irvin rarely threw a changeup in college, but scouts thought it had a chance to be a solid pitch in the future and the Nationals like his feel for the offering currently. Irvin will likely never rack up a high number of strikeouts, but he's a solid strike thrower, repeats his delivery and hides the ball well on his backside.
  
  The Future: A potential quick-mover, Irvin stands out more for his high floor than high upside, and could be a back-of-the-rotation starter or middle reliever.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #140 prospect in 2018 draft
  A 37th-round pick of the Twins out of high school in Minnesota, Irvin is a three-year starter for the Sooners who has been one of the best pitchers in the Big 12 this season. Irvin has steadily improved in his three years at Oklahoma, culminating with his 6-1, 3.16 season this year with 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings as of mid-May. A big, 6-foot-6, 225-pound righthander, Irvin attacks hitters with a 90-94 mph fastball and a low-80s slider that has good late finish. Irvin throws strikes with average control and has shown the ability to locate and manipulate his slider. He barely uses his changeup, so scouts question how good it can be, but he'll flash a fringe-average change in bullpen sessions.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: The University of Oklahoma-to-Nationals pitching pipeline began with Irvin. He was selected by the club in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He shared a roster with Nationals top pitching prospect Cade Cavalli for one year with the Sooners. Irvin started slow in 2019 at Low-A Hagerstown but finished the season strong. In 2020, during instructional league, he felt some tightness in his elbow and had Tommy John surgery that October. He sat out the entire 2021 season and returned to the mound in 2022, where he split time between High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg.
  
  Scouting Report: Irvin has a three-pitch mix led by a fastball that sits around 94 mph and gets up to 97-98 at peak, with mediocre life. His go-to secondary is a low-80s curveball that is described as a power slurve by some scouts. He has good feel for his breaking ball, but a firm, upper-80s changeup remains a work in progress. Irvin has feel to throw all three pitches for strikes and posted a strong 6.6% walk rate.
  
  The Future: The righthander's pitch quality gives him a chance to profile as a back-of-the-rotation starter, but he will need to build up his arm and get more innings versus age-appropriate competition in the upper minors.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: The University of Oklahoma-to-Nationals pitching pipeline began with Irvin. He was selected by the club in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He shared a roster with Nationals top pitching prospect Cade Cavalli for one year with the Sooners. Irvin started slow in 2019 at Low-A Hagerstown but finished the season strong. In 2020, during instructional league, he felt some tightness in his elbow and had Tommy John surgery that October. He sat out the entire 2021 season and returned to the mound in 2022, where he split time between High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg.
  
  Scouting Report: Irvin has a three-pitch mix led by a fastball that sits around 94 mph and gets up to 97-98 at peak, with mediocre life. His go-to secondary is a low-80s curveball that is described as a power slurve by some scouts. He has good feel for his breaking ball, but a firm, upper-80s changeup remains a work in progress. Irvin has feel to throw all three pitches for strikes and posted a strong 6.6% walk rate.
  
  The Future: The righthander's pitch quality gives him a chance to profile as a back-of-the-rotation starter, but he will need to build up his arm and get more innings versus age-appropriate competition in the upper minors.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 55
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Midseason Update: Irvin missed the entire 2021 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Prior to that, he ranked as the No. 23 prospect in the Nationals organization. He returned to the mound in Double-A this season and seems to be settling back in. The big question mark around his return was if he could get back to his pre-surgery form. The velocity on his fastball is sitting right around 95 mph, which is on par with his ability before his injury. His power curveball and improving changeup are encouraging signs for the righthander.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A three-year starter and all-Big 12 Conference performer at Oklahoma, Irvin signed for $550,000 as a fourth-round pick in 2018 and has been a workhorse in the Nationals' system. He went at least five innings in 20 of his 25 starts in 2019 and finished the year strong, earning an invitation to the alternate training site in 2020. Irvin spent the summer pitching against more experienced players, but he suffered an elbow injury and had Tommy John surgery in October.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Irvin has plenty of stuff and impressed Nationals manager Dave Martinez with his 94-97 mph fastball in a simulated game at Nationals Park. He also has a plus, power curveball that he throws in the 78-80 mph range and has at least an average changeup. Irvin has improved at attacking hitters and throwing inside, and he's capable of missing more bats. His mix and his durability give him a chance to remain a starter, but his arm action may be more suited toward relieving.
  
  THE FUTURE: Irvin will miss the entire 2021 season recovering from surgery. His future outlook will depend on what his stuff looks like when he returns.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A three-year starter and all-Big 12 Conference performer at Oklahoma, Irvin signed for $550,000 as a fourth-round pick in 2018 and has been a workhorse in the Nationals' system. He went at least five innings in 20 of his 25 starts in 2019 and finished the year strong, earning an invitation to the alternate training site in 2020. Irvin spent the summer pitching against more experienced players, but he suffered an elbow injury and had Tommy John surgery in October.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Irvin has plenty of stuff and impressed Nationals manager Dave Martinez with his 94-97 mph fastball in a simulated game at Nationals Park. He also has a plus, power curveball that he throws in the 78-80 mph range and has at least an average changeup. Irvin has improved at attacking hitters and throwing inside, and he's capable of missing more bats. His mix and his durability give him a chance to remain a starter, but his arm action may be more suited toward relieving.
  
  THE FUTURE: Irvin will miss the entire 2021 season recovering from surgery. His future outlook will depend on what his stuff looks like when he returns.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A Minnesota native, Irvin was a three-year starter at Oklahoma, including the last two as a Friday night ace. He won six games in each of his three seasons with the Sooners. In his draft year, he led the Big 12 with 115 strikeouts in 95 innings and was the conference’s Scholar Athlete of the Year with a 3.83 GPA as a human resources major. He signed for $550,000.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Irvin was able to grind through a season that didn’t come easy at Hagerstown. In April, he had an 8.24 ERA in five starts. But he shot up at the end of the year, showing a 94-96 mph BA GRADE 50 Risk: Extreme BA GRADE 45 Risk: High BA GRADE 45 Risk: High fastball in instructional league with a plus curveball and at least an average changeup. After throwing a slider in college, he has developed a hard-breaking curve as a professional. Irvin is durable and athletic on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: Irvin had a 1.67 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 27 innings over his five August starts for the Suns. That finish has him on track to go to the high Class A Carolina League in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A Minnesota native, Irvin was a three-year starter at Oklahoma, including the last two as a Friday night ace. He won six games in each of his three seasons with the Sooners. In his draft year, he led the Big 12 with 115 strikeouts in 95 innings and was the conference's Scholar Athlete of the Year with a 3.83 GPA as a human resources major. He signed for $550,000.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Irvin was able to grind through a season that didn't come easy at Hagerstown. In April, he had an 8.24 ERA in five starts. But he shot up at the end of the year, showing a 94-96 mph fastball in instructional league with a plus curveball and at least an average changeup. After throwing a slider in college, he has developed a hard-breaking curve as a professional. Irvin is durable and athletic on the mound.
  
  THE FUTURE: Irvin had a 1.67 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 27 innings over his five August starts for the Suns. That finish has him on track to go to the high Class A Carolina League in 2020.