Jameson Taillon

Position: RHP
Born: 11/18/1991
Height: 6'5
Weight: 240
B/T: R/R
Acquired: Drafted in the first round (#2 overall) of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft (PIT).

Most Recent Stats at Time of Debut
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 4-2 with a 2.04 ERA in 10 starts at Indianapolis (Triple-A), striking out 61 while walking just six and allowing 44 hits in 61.2 IP

Info & MLB Debut Date
Recalled June 8 from Indianapolis when RHP Curtis Partch was sent down.
MLB Debut Date: 6/8/2016

Debut Details
June 8, in a 6-5-10-inning loss to the Mets. The starting pitcher, Taillon was not around for the eventual decision, going six innings and allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits, walking two and striking out three before being removed for pinch-hitter Cole Figueroa in the bottom of the sixth with the score then tied at 3-3. Taillon retired the first two big league batters he faced, including leadoff hitter Alejandro De Aza on a line out to left field, before surrendering his first hit with two outs in the first, an infield single to third by Yoenis Cespedes. De Aza would also be Taillon’s first strikeout victim as he went down swinging in his next at-bat in the third inning. Taillon’s first runs allowed came in the fourth inning when Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-out double to left field and then scored ahead of Ty Kelly on the latter’s homer to center field. In the fifth inning, Taillon made a rookie mistake when he gave up a leadoff double to opposing pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by — who else? — De Aza and scored on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly to center. He finished strong with a one-two-three sixth inning, though, getting Neil Walker to fly out, striking out James Loney looking on three pitches, and then getting Cabrera to pop out to third. Overall, he threw 91 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Player Notes
The Pirates might have wanted to give Taillon a little more time in the minors to get into a groove after missing the last two seasons with injuries, but a) they needed that extra arm after having to play a doubleheader on Tuesday and b), judging from his start at Indianapolis, he’s not going to get much groovier than he already is. Taillon, who signed late after being drafted in 2012 and jumped right into his pro career in 2012 with a fine debut at West Virginia (Class A), missed all of 2014 due to Tommy John surgery and then, during his off-season rehab, suffered a sports hernia, which wiped out 2015. In his last pro action before this, in 2013, he combined between Altoona (Double-A) and Indianapolis to go 5-10 with a 3.73 ERA in 26 games, striking out 143 in 147.1 IP and walking 52 while giving up 143 hits. He ranked among the International League leaders in ERA and strikeouts when he was called up to Pittsburgh.

2080 Notes
Despite the lost two seasons prior to 2016, Taillon still landed at No. 52 on 2080 Baseball’s Preseason Top 125 Prospect Ranking List, where C.J. Wittmann had this to say about him: “After missing time the last two seasons with injury, Taillon needs to prove he is healthy, and show that his command has improved from when he last pitched. When healthy, his fastball sits in the middle 90s to go with an average changeup and double-plus curveball. Taillon could easily reach his #2 starter ceiling and throw some big league innings this year.” In addition, 2080’s Chaz Fiorino saw Taillon pitch on May 29 vs. Pawtucket, and filed this scouting report.