The Pirates’ Jameson Taillon will be the next top pitching prospect to make his debut against the Mets, matching up against Noah Syndergaard tonight at PNC Park.
Pittsburgh announced the move before yesterday’s doubleheader, which made the call-up necessary for the Pirates to avoid using Jon Niese or Juan Nicasio on short rest.
Before being drafted in 2010 out of high school, Taillon, was regarded as one of the the best arms in the country. He caught the eye of the Pittsburgh brass, who decided to take him second overall, five picks before Matt Harvey. Taillon then decided to forgo a scholarship to Rice University to sign with the Pirates, accepting a club record $6.5 million dollar signing bonus.
Over the course of his minor league career, the Texas prep school product has had mixed results. He’s shown flashes of dominance, owning Double A hitters to the tune of a .180 batting average against as a 20 year old, but he has had his struggles as well. In 2013, he posted a 4.28 ERA between Double A and Triple A before succumbing to a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament.
After a two year hiatus due to Tommy John surgery and a sports hernia suffered in 2015, Taillon, now 24, rebounded to put up strong numbers with Triple A Indianapolis. In 10 starts, he posted a 2.04 ERA and a .811 WHIP while striking out a batter per inning. Most importantly, he maintained his impeccable control, proven by his 10 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio.
Standing at a muscular six feet five inches tall, Taillon is built like the front end starter that the Pirates expect him to be. The big righty uses his size to throw a plus fastball that touches 99 miles per hour along with a 12-6 curveball that scouts also label as a plus offering. He also features a circle change that – while average now – could develop into an out pitch in the future.
It’s worth noting that the Pirates have had difficulty finding consistent starting pitching this season. After Gerrit Cole, the rotation has a bloated ERA of 4.49. While Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle has been tight lipped about Taillon’s role on the team for the immediate future, the right-hander will look to lower that crooked number when he takes the mound later today.
