Woolfolk: ‘I’m back,’ as he returns to UVA program

By Jerry Ratcliffe

He’s baaack!

Jay Woolfolk, who blossomed into a dominating pitcher for Virginia’s postseason ride, is coming back for his senior year.

Woolfolk’s announcement on his Twitter account Tuesday morning was great news for Brian O’Connor’s program, giving the Cavaliers an unexpected lead starter for the pitching staff in 2025. The right-hander posted his decision after he wasn’t selected in the first two days of the Major League Baseball draft.

“I’m Back,” was the simple statement that accompanied a photo of the backside of Woolfolk’s No. 4 UVA baseball jersey.

Rated as the No. 250 prospect on the MLB draft board and the 25th-best right-handed pitcher available heading into the final day of the draft, Woolfolk’s decision is reminiscent of Virginia pitcher Andrew Abbott, who was not drafted following his junior season in 2020. Abbott came back for his senior year and had an outstanding campaign for the Cavaliers, leading to him being taken in the second round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds.

Abbott has been a standout starter for Cincinnati the past two seasons.

UVA had three of Woolfolk’s teammates taken in the first four rounds of the current draft: shortstop Griff O’Ferrall (No. 32 to the Baltimore Orioles), catcher/first baseman Ethan Anderson (No. 61, also to the Orioles) and outfielder Casey Saucke (No. 107 to the Chicago White Sox). See related story here for all the details.

🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/bfGbZcuNzY

— Jay Woolfolk (@WoolfolkJay) July 16, 2024

Also, three of O’Connor’s high school commitments — Caleb Bonemer, Luke Dickerson and Bryce Meccage — were all drafted, along with VMI transfer pitcher Will Riley (taken by the Seattle Mariners with the 243rd pick, 8th round).

Bonemer, a shortstop from Michigan, was selected with the 43rd overall pick by the White Sox (that’s a $2 million-plus slot value), while another UVA committed shortstop, Dickerson (from New Jersey), was taken with the 44th pick by the Washington Nationals (also a $2 million-plus slot value) and right-handed pitcher Meccage, also from New Jersey, was the No. 57 pick by the Milwaukee Brewers ($1.5 million slot value).

If both shortstops go, along with O’Ferrall, who was considered the top shortstop in college baseball, UVA will get hit hard at that position, although the Cavaliers do have two additional shortstops committed: Jackson Sirols from Leesburg (the sixth-best overall high school prospect and the third-ranked shortstop in the state, according to Perfect Game), along with Isaac Vanderwoude from Indiana (No. 11 overall high-schooler and the second-best shortstop in his state).

Getting back to Woolfolk, the right-hander struggled for most of the season with an injury and with confidence, as evidenced by his statistics: 5.92 ERA, 67 strikeouts, 40 walks in 62.1 innings pitched. Woolfolk said in a postseason interview with JerryRatcliffe.com (see related story here) that he often felt he was a mere one pitch away from getting through many rough spots.

He became so lost at one point in the season that O’Connor brought him into his office, showed him a stat sheet and then instructed the player to rip it up, symbolizing a fresh start. O’Connor and pitching coach Drew Dickenson had so much faith in Woolfolk that they planned to start him in the postseason, and Woolfolk came through with flying colors.

Armed with a 95-96 mph fastball, the Chesterfield native delivered dominating performances in the NCAA regional win over Mississippi State and the Omaha-clinching victory over Kansas State.

The Mississippi State performance was easily the best of Woolfolk’s career, as he stacked up a career-high eight innings and allowed two runs (seven strikeouts) in a 9-2 win, and was named MVP of the Charlottesville Regional. Then, he carded 6.1 innings in a 10-4 win over K-State, allowing three earned runs and striking out seven.

That performance put Virginia into the College World Series for the third time in the last four years. In his CWS start against Florida State, he retired the first seven batters, but then reinjured his knee as he slipped on the mound and grabbed his leg in the bottom of the fourth inning, simultaneously giving up a lead off home run to the Seminoles’ Jaime Ferrer.

Virginia coaches and trainers checked him out, but Woolfolk remained in the game and retired the next batter before walking Alex Lodise on five pitches, and was still limping, prompting O’Connor to pull him from the game.