Jake Middleton is a left-handed bullpen arm with strikeout bite for South Alabama
In the 2026 season, South Alabama LHP Jake Middleton has worked mostly out of the bullpen, logging 14 appearances and a 0-1 record with 19.1 innings and a 7.91 ERA; his better flashes have come in short relief bursts, including 2.2 innings with 2 strikeouts and no walks against Louisiana and 1.2 hitless innings with 2 strikeouts against New Orleans.[1][3][5][11] The main draw is the left-handed look and some real miss-bat potential in relief, but the numbers say the command-and-consistency ceiling still needs work before he looks like a steady high-leverage fit.[1][3]
