Red Sox Trade 24-Year-Old to Tigers, Complete Jahmai Jones Deal

The deal is officially done

Jul 29, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jahmai Jones (37) rounds the bases after hitting a one run home run during the fifth inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jahmai Jones has already made a solid impact on the Boston Red Sox, but the trade that sent him east from the Detroit Tigers hadn't technically been finished.

On Saturday, the Red Sox sent a prospect to the Tigers to complete the deal, which was first announced on July 14. Jones has since appeared in nine games for the Sox and has provided a serious lift, going 5-for-14 with two home runs and two doubles (1.467 OPS).

The prospect the Tigers acquired? According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, it's none other than Jojo Ingrassia, the left-handed pitcher whom the Red Sox chose in the 14th round of the 2023 draft. The 24-year-old was pitching for the High-A Greenville Drive.

What Red Sox gave up in Ingrassia

Aug 3, 2018; Oakland, CA, USA; General view of the Detroit Tigers baseball cap, sunglasses and glove before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ingrassia hasn't always been healthy since he was drafted out of Cal State Fullerton. The Southern California native has only appeared in 38 games as a minor leaguer, including 23 starts. His career-high in innings pitched to this point is 58 1/3, though he stands a good chance to pass that mark this season.

At 6-foot, 170 pounds, according to MiLB.com, Ingrassia doesn't have prototypical size. But he was striking out batters at an impressive rate this season, with 59 punchouts in 44 innings for the Drive. He had a 3.27 ERA to this point in the season and his career minor-league ERA sits at 2.56.

From the Tigers' perspective, Ingrassia offers upside and a solid track record against low-level minor-league competition, granted that he's been a bit older than his competition as well. They're likely hoping he develops into a major league reliever at some point.

However, with two more levels to climb before he's on the doorstep of a major league debut, there's a lot left to prove. One can understand how the Red Sox would agree to put him in a pool of player-to-be-named-later options for the Tigers to select, since they likely have a long list of other prospects they're prioritizing.

Will we ever look back on the deal and think the Tigers got a steal? That's not on the Sox's mind at the moment, as Jones is proving to be a nice bench piece for now.