Alek Jacob Stats & Scouting Report

IP	14.2
ERA	2.45
WHIP	.75
BB/9	1.23
SO/9	11.66

Full name Alek Scott Jacob
Born 06/16/1998 in Spokane, WA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Gonzaga
Drafted in the 16th round (490th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2021 (signed for $75,000).

View Draft Report

Jacob, the 2021 West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year, had an impressive four-year career with Gonzaga, capped off with an 8-1, 2.52 mark, 112 strikeouts and 18 walks in 85.2 innings. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds from the right side, Jacob has good size and throws from a low slot, and relies more on pinpoint accuracy to locate his pitches than overwhelming stuff. He throws a two-seam fastball, a slider and a changeup, and has helped out of the bullpen in addition to starting. At 23 years old, Jacob is older for the class, but he’s an experienced arm with good control and command.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 40/Medium

Track Record: Jacob threw just 84-88 mph at Gonzaga but was watched closely by the Padres because their analytics staff identified his changeup as a potential outlier. He threw a no-hitter against Pepperdine and a shutout against Louisiana State in the NCAA Tournament as a senior to convince skeptical evaluators. The Padres drafted him in the 16th round and signed him for $75,000. Jacob continued to confound hitters at every level of the minors and received his first big league callup in July, He made three scoreless appearances before he suffered a season-ending flexor and ulnar collateral ligament strain.

Scouting Report: Jacob is a throwback reliever who succeeds on deception. His fastball sits 85-87 mph with late sink out of a whippy, sidearm slot. His fastball plays up because it pairs well with his plus-plus, 70-74 mph changeup with heavy fade and sink. He hides the ball well and sells his changeup to make it difficult for hitters to recognize pitches out of his hand. Jacob also has an average, sweeping slider in the low 70s that he commands well. He varies his delivery and attacks the zone with the confidence of someone who throws much harder.

The Future: Jacob will get every opportunity to win a middle-relief job in spring training if he’s healthy. He earns frequent comparisons to former Padres reliever Adam Cimber.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 30 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 70
BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium

Track Record: Jacob's fastball sat just 85-89 mph as a starter at Gonzaga, but the Padres scouted him closely because their analytics team identified his changeup as a potential outlier. He struck out 323 batters in 288.1 collegiate innings and won West Coast Conference pitcher of the Year as a senior, leading the Padres to draft him in the 16th round and sign him for $75,000. Jacob immediately moved to the bullpen after being drafted and didn't allow a run in 13 appearances in his pro debut. He followed by rising three levels up to Triple-A in his first full season in 2022 and finished the year in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Jacob's two-seam fastball remains well below-average at 85-89 mph, but it plays well off his plus, plus 70-74 mph changeup with heavy fade and sink. He hides the ball well in his delivery and pounds the strike zone with a whip-like stroke out of a sidearm slot. Jacob's sweepy, low-70s slider is a solid offering that he commands well, as he does with all of his pitches. He varies his delivery to disrupt hitters' timing and attacks the zone with plus control and the confidence of someone who throws much harder.

The Future: The Padres have had success developing soft-throwing relievers such as Adam Cimber and Eric Yardley into big leaguers. Jacob could be the next to make the leap in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 30. Slider: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 60

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium

Track Record: Jacob's fastball sat just 85-89 mph as a starter at Gonzaga, but the Padres scouted him closely because their analytics team identified his changeup as a potential outlier. He struck out 323 batters in 288.1 collegiate innings and won West Coast Conference pitcher of the Year as a senior, leading the Padres to draft him in the 16th round and sign him for $75,000. Jacob immediately moved to the bullpen after being drafted and didn't allow a run in 13 appearances in his pro debut. He followed by rising three levels up to Triple-A in his first full season in 2022 and finished the year in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Jacob's two-seam fastball remains well below-average at 85-89 mph, but it plays well off his plus, plus 70-74 mph changeup with heavy fade and sink. He hides the ball well in his delivery and pounds the strike zone with a whip-like stroke out of a sidearm slot. Jacob's sweepy, low-70s slider is a solid offering that he commands well, as he does with all of his pitches. He varies his delivery to disrupt hitters' timing and attacks the zone with plus control and the confidence of someone who throws much harder.

The Future: The Padres have had success developing soft-throwing relievers such as Adam Cimber and Eric Yardley into big leaguers. Jacob could be the next to make the leap in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 30. Slider: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium

Track Record: Jacob's fastball sat just 85-89 mph as a starter at Gonzaga, but the Padres scouted him closely because their analytics team identified his changeup as a potential outlier. He struck out 323 batters in 288.1 collegiate innings and won West Coast Conference pitcher of the Year as a senior, leading the Padres to draft him in the 16th round and sign him for $75,000. Jacob immediately moved to the bullpen after being drafted and didn't allow a run in 13 appearances in his pro debut. He followed by rising three levels up to Triple-A in his first full season in 2022 and finished the year in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Jacob's two-seam fastball remains well below-average at 85-89 mph, but it plays well off his plus, plus 70-74 mph changeup with heavy fade and sink. He hides the ball well in his delivery and pounds the strike zone with a whip-like stroke out of a sidearm slot. Jacob's sweepy, low-70s slider is a solid offering that he commands well, as he does with all of his pitches. He varies his delivery to disrupt hitters' timing and attacks the zone with plus control and the confidence of someone who throws much harder.

The Future: The Padres have had success developing soft-throwing relievers such as Adam Cimber and Eric Yardley into big leaguers. Jacob could be the next to make the leap in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 30. Slider: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 60
BA Grade: 40/Medium

August Update: A 16th-round pick out of Gonzaga in 2021, Jacob confounds batters with a funky, low-slot delivery that helps all of his stuff play up. His fastball sits 86-88 mph, he has above-average command of his slider and his changeup is a plus pitch. Jacob has extreme confidence and poise and attacks the strike zone like someone who throws much harder. He is comparable to former Padres prospect Adam Cimber and has emerged as a callup option down the stretch.

Career Transactions

San Diego Padres activated RHP Alek Jacob.
San Diego Padres recalled RHP Alek Jacob from El Paso Chihuahuas.
San Diego Padres optioned RHP Alek Jacob to El Paso Chihuahuas.
San Diego Padres recalled RHP Alek Jacob from El Paso Chihuahuas.
El Paso Chihuahuas activated RHP Alek Jacob.
San Diego Padres optioned RHP Alek Jacob to El Paso Chihuahuas.
San Diego Padres recalled RHP Alek Jacob from El Paso Chihuahuas.
San Diego Padres placed RHP Alek Jacob on the 15-day injured list.
San Diego Padres placed RHP Alek Jacob on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 21, 2023. Right elbow inflammation.
San Diego Padres selected the contract of RHP Alek Jacob from San Antonio Missions.
San Diego Padres selected the contract of RHP Alek Jacob from San Antonio Missions.
RHP Alek Jacob assigned to San Antonio Missions.