The Pittsburgh Pirates have become known for their ability to identify and develop pitching talent. Most of their pitching staff consists of homegrown players. The Pirates still have plenty of pitching talent scattered throughout their minor league system. One left-handed hurler who is flying under the radar is left-hander Jaden Woods. His hot start could earn him more than just a promotion to the next level of the minor leagues this season.
The Bucs selected Woods in the seventh round of the 2023 draft. Hailing from the University of Georgia, Woods spent all of 2025 at Double-A Altoona. He pitched 62 frames, putting up a 5.81 ERA, with a 4.23 FIP, and 1.65 WHIP. He struggled to limit walks, with an 11.4% BB%, and put up a 22.7 K%. On the plus side, Woods had a respectable 0.73 HR/9 ratio.
Woods kicked off 2026 at Altoona once again, and the results have been a lot better thus far. It’s only been ten innings, and he has only allowed two earned runs, has struck out over a third of opponents (34.1%, to be exact), and has a 50% ground ball rate. None of the eight hits he has allowed have been home runs. Walks have still given Woods some problems, as he has dished out six free passes for a 14.6% BB%. However, his overall K-BB% is a strong 19.5%.
Woods is primarily a two-pitch pitcher. He throws a fastball in the low-to-mid-90s range and pairs that with a low-80s slider. Woods’ breaker is the pitch that generates most of his swings and misses for him. FanGraphs praises his fluid delivery and arm action on the mound. He also throws from a three-quarters arm slot.
Woods first got to Altoona during the second half of 2024 and is still there in 2026. An early-season promotion to Triple-A should be in order for the 24-year-old left-handed reliever. However, there is more at stake for Woods than just a promotion to the next level of the minor leagues. He will also become Rule 5 draft eligible this upcoming offseason. A strong offseason could earn Woods a 40-man roster spot.
The Pirates were not conservative when it came to adding Rule 5 eligible relief prospects to their 40-man roster last winter. They protected Brandan Bidois, Ryan Harbin, and Tyler Samaniego (who was later traded to the Boston Red Sox in the deal that netted the Pirates Jhostynxon Garcia and Jesus Travieso) from the Rule 5 draft. Like Woods, Samaniego was a left-handed minor league reliever who had an excellent season and earned a spot on the 40-man roster.
The Pirates could also stand to add a lefty reliever to their depth chart. Gregory Soto, Mason Montgomery, and Evan Sisk make up the Pirates’ current LHRP options on the Major League roster. While Montgomery and Sisk are potential long-term options, Soto is a free agent after this season. A full-season breakout from Woods could make the Pirates’ bullpen depth a lot better. It’s not out of the question that if Woods pitches well enough at Triple-A, and the Pirates need another reliever, he gets a taste of Major League action later this year.
