40 in 40: Jake Irvin
Beating out all expectations in 2023, can he continue his success into 2024?
Editors Note: This is the latest player profile in our 40-man breakdown series that we have started here at the Nats Report. Check out our other player profiles.
Jake Irvin
Position: Starting Pitcher
Current Status: Pre-arbitration, arb-eligible in 2026, and a free agent after the 2029 season
How Acquired: Drafted by the Nationals in the 4th round of the 2018 MLB draft (131 overall)
2023 Grade: A
2024 Opening Day Projection: MLB Mid Rotation Starter
2023 Stats: W-L: 3-7 | 4.61 ERA | 124 IP | 1.42 WHIP | 99 SO | 54 BB | 20 HR | 0.8 fWAR | 1.1 bWAR
Irvin’s Pitch Mix via BaseballSavant and MLB.com
2023 Analysis: The highest grade I’ve given out goes to Jake Irvin. Irvin is coming off an impressive 2023 rookie campaign where he surpassed all expectations. While it wasn’t an all-star level season, for a guy who many weren’t sure could carve out a role as a starter in the majors his season is more than a success.
A 4.61 ERA is nothing too impressive, but the Nationals team ERA was an abysmal 5.02, good for second worst in the NL. Irvin was the most consistent of the Nationals starters, especially down the stretch of the season giving up three or fewer runs in seven of his last ten starts. Irvin was a crucial part of the Nationals team last season and cemented a spot behind Mackenzie Gore and Josiah Gray in the rotation.
2024 Outlook: Jake Irvin is seemingly locked into the third spot in the Nationals starting rotation for 2024 after a stellar rookie campaign. He will provide much-needed stability to the back end of the starting rotation which is expected to have plenty of turnover as players get healthy and as their play on the field changes.
Irvin needs to build on his rookie season, if he can increase his swing and miss stuff he will make that next step. He only had an 18.7% strikeout rate, and while he wasn’t getting hit terribly hard, if he can get that strikeout rate up he can solidly become a reliable starter in the MLB. Irvin’s future looks bright with the Nationals as a stabilizing piece to the puzzle that is rebuilding a franchise.
