What To Expect: Jameson Taillon

Jameson Taillon‘s comeback after missing two full seasons will culminate in his major league debut Wednesday against the Mets.

The No. 2 overall pick in 2010—behind Bryce Harper and ahead of future all-stars Manny Machado, Matt Harvey and Chris Sale—Taillon has been outstanding at Triple-A Indianapolis this season. He leads the International League with a 1.93 FIP, a 10.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 0.81 WHIP, and his 0.9 walks per nine innings are also a league best.

More importantly, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound righthander is healthy after missing two years because of Tommy John surgery and then hernia surgery.

He’s pitched at least six innings in each of his 10 starts, outside of his second start of the season against Toledo, and he’s reached 99 pitches twice.

Coincidentally, Taillon’s callup now would prevent him from accruing enough service time to qualify for Super Two salary arbitration status following the 2018 season.

SCOUTING REPORT

Although Taillon had not pitched since the Arizona Fall League in 2013 before this spring, he has shown little rustiness. His arm appears loose and easy and he’s been sitting 94-96 mph with his fastball and showcasing his 12-to-6 curveball.

His command has not suffered from the layoff, for he has struck out 61 and walked just six. Taillon mixes his pitches well, throwing a four-seam fastball, a two-seamer, a nascent changeup and curve. He says he throws the two-seamer to get a ground ball when he needs it.

“The arm is 100 percent full go,” Taillon told BA in April. “If anything, I feel extra fresh, because I’ve had 900 and something days since my last start (before his first start on April 13).”

His curveball looks as sharp as it did pre-surgery, as you can see in the video below.

This season, Taillon has shown no platoon split, but he has dominated lefthanded batters, holding them to a .148/.186/.284 slash thanks to his improving changeup.

The one red flag for Taillon will be holding baserunners—not that there have been many. But runners have succeeded in four out of four attempts against him this year because of a long delivery. Taillon is athletic and repeats the delivery well, but he has not given catchers much of a chance to throw runners out. For his career, about 10 percent of basestealers have been caught trying to steal.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told reporters that how long Taillon stays might not be dependent upon how the big righthander fares Wednesday. What is clear, however, is that the former Texas prep star is ready for a new challenge. Whether he stays up for good now or comes back after the all-star break, Taillon could team with Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow to form a strong top of the Pirates rotation for years to come.

He is ready to contribute.

“I definitely see them, definitely know they’re up there doing their thing,” Taillon told BA in April about Harper, Machado, et al. “At the same time, I’m still only 24. I’ve got a lot of years ahead of me. I feel like I’m in a good spot to go up there and make sure people consider me a good grab from that class, too, and throw me in with those names.”