Taylor Jordan
| IP | 94 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.5 |
| WHIP | 1.468 |
| BB/9 | 2.394 |
| SO/9 | 5.457 |
- Full name Taylor J. Jordan
- Born 01/17/1989 in Merritt Island, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Brevard College
- Debut 06/29/2013
-
Drafted in the 9th round (262nd overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2009 (signed for $99,500).
View Draft Report
Jordan has good size at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, but he was something of a wild card entering the spring, as he missed a year of JC ball at Indian River (Fla.) CC, which he attended in 2007-2008 while he did not pitch. He hit 95 mph on the Brevard (Fla.) CC radar gun during the season and sits in the average range with his fastball, helping him strike out 88 in 80 innings during the spring while earning first-team all-conference honors.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Jordan was an 18th-round pick by the Reds out of high school in 2007, but it took him a few years to mature off the mound. The Nationals signed him for $99,500 as a ninth-rounder out of Brevard (Fla.) CC, his second junior college. He generated buzz with a strong first half in 2011 but had Tommy John surgery at the end of the summer. He returned to game action last June, and he was showing the best velocity of his career at the end of last season, bumping 96 mph with sink. Jordan's fastball has natural, hard sink and armside run, and it sits at 89-94 mph. He also has the makings of a solid slider with good depth and has a chance for an average changeup. His command hasn't come all the way back yet, but it figures to improve as he gets further away from surgery. He never has had trouble throwing strikes, and Washington believes he has the repertoire, frame and feel to be a starter. The Nationals didn't protect him on the 40-man roster after the season, gambling correctly that he was too far away from the majors to get taken in the Rule 5 draft. He should advance to high Class A in 2013, with a chance to reach Double-A by the second half. -
Jordan was an 18th-round pick by the Reds out of high school in 2007, but it took him a few years to mature off the mound. He started his college career at Indian River (Fla.) JC but quit the team before ever throwing a pitch. He resurfaced at Brevard (Fla.) CC in 2009, flashing 95-mph heat, and the Nationals signed him for $99,500 bonus as a ninth-round pick that summer. Jordan started to generate some buzz in instructional league after the 2010 season, and he put together a strong first half in 2011 in low Class A before injuring his elbow in July. He didn't pitch again and had Tommy John surgery at the end of the summer. Jordan's 88-94 mph fastball has natural hard, late sink and armside run, helping him post a 1.9 groundout/airout ratio last year. He's still learning to repeat his low-80s slider, but it shows flashes of becoming a plus pitch. He also has good feel for a changeup, which projects as an average or slightly better offering. Jordan has developed decent command considering he has a funky arm action with a deep wrap in the back. He's a good athlete who reads hitters well, and his work ethic has improved in pro ball. Jordan's stuff gives him a chance to be a back-of-the-rotation big league starter if he ever puts it all together, but a long-term future in the bullpen seems more likely. He could return to the mound by the second half of 2012.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
After dominating at high Class A, the Nationals bumped Jordan in mid-May to Double-A, where he gave up just six runs in nine outings en route to the big leagues. Jordan employs a sneaky delivery that includes long arm action and a stab on the back end. That deception helps his arsenal play up. Said arsenal includes a low-90s heater with plenty of run, as well as a slider and a changeup, which he used to knife his way through the EL using groundballs as his weapon of choice. Two full years after having Tommy John surgery, Jordan?s command returned in a big way, partly because the Nationals have fixed his delivery so he?s more in line toward the plate. Shut down in mid-August after reaching his innings limit, Jordan has a chance to open 2013 right back on the hill in D.C.
