Taylor Tankersley
| IP | 118 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.576 |
| WHIP | 1.517 |
| BB/9 | 5.339 |
| SO/9 | 8.771 |
- Full name Taylor M. Tankersley
- Born 03/07/1983 in Vicksburg, MS
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Alabama
- Debut 06/03/2006
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Drafted in the 1st round (27th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2004 (signed for $1,300,000).
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Tankersley has a long track record for scouts, and his plus stuff and success on the mound should mean he'll go no later than the sandwich round. Drafted out of high school by the Royals, Tankersley tied Alabama's record for wins by a freshman (eight) despite pitching primarily in relief. He struggled as a sophomore with a painful cyst on his left wrist, but picked up again in a relief role down the stretch, helping Alabama win its second straight SEC tournament. His success in the bullpen has made him hard to scout. The Crimson Tide often holds him as a reliever for Friday and Saturday, and he starts Sundays if he hasn't been used. He has thrived in the role, and has cleaned up his mechanics, driving through the catcher instead of falling off to the side. His sturdy 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame and strong lower half help him pump fastballs regularly in the 88-92 mph range with average life; he can run it up to 94 and maintains his velocity well. He's aggressive with the pitch, attacking hitters inside and making them prove they can hit it. Tankersley's breaking ball, a power slider, plays average, and he's shown a feel for a changeup in a starting role. He ranked among the NCAA's ERA leaders, at 1.64 in 64 innings, as Alabama's disappointing season neared its end.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Tankersley is the son of a nuclear physicist and the grandson of a former big league pitcher. Earl Tankersley taught his grandson the importance of pitching inside, and the lessons paid off with a $1.3 million bonus in 2004 and an early June callup to the majors in 2006. A bulldog with a quick wit and baseball savvy, Tankersley pounds the strike zone with an 88-92 mph fastball and knows how to move it around to good purpose. His low three-quarters arm slot makes him particularly nasty on lefthanders, and he's effective against righthanders as well. He uses a slurvy breaking ball that has good depth and will drop a changeup in on righties to keep them honest. His stuff isn't overpowering, so Tankersley must be precise with his location and pitch selection. He missed two months in 2005 with shoulder tendinitis but has been resilient since making the permanent move to the bullpen. With closer Joe Borowski departing as a free agent, Tankersley appears to be first in line to finish games for the 2007 Marlins. He has the tenacity and the versatility of a young Mike Stanton and could enjoy a similarly lengthy career. -
Tankersley's father is a nuclear physicist and his paternal grandfather pitched briefly in the minors. It was Earl Tankersley who taught his grandson the importance of pitching inside at an early age. The lessons paid off with a $1.3 million bonus in 2004. Tankersley is a strike thrower with a bulldog mentality. He pitches at 88-90 mph and tops out at 92 mph with a fastball he releases from a low three-quarters arm slot that makes him particularly tough on lefties. His breaking ball is a slurve with good depth. His changeup is making progress after he started throwing it more. After dropping too much weight last offseason, Tankersley missed two months with shoulder tendinitis. He struggled at times after his return, especially with a breaking ball that needs more variation in speed from his fastball. His stuff isn't overpowering, so he must be solid with his location. Tankersley switched to the bullpen full-time in the Arizona Fall League after the season. He figures to stay in a relief role in 2006, when he'll probably open at high Class A Jupiter. -
The son of a nuclear physicist, Tankersley gets his sporting genes from his paternal grandfather, Earl Tankersley, who pitched briefly in the minors. He taught his grandson the importance of pitching inside at an early age. The lessons paid off, as Tankersley became the 27th pick in the 2004 draft. Tankersley's best pitch is a plus slider. His fastball usually ranges from 90-93 mph. He shows a bulldog mentality and throws from a low three-quarters arm slot, making him particularly tough on lefties. He throws strikes and has great versatility having started and relieved in college. Tankersley doesn't have an overpowering fastball and his velocity sometimes dips into the high 80s. Refining his changeup would make his heater more effective. His emotions sometimes get the best of him, and he must watch his weight. With his college background and maturity level, both physical and mental, Tankersley should move quickly through the system. Though he could get to the majors quicker as a reliever, the Marlins will leave him in the rotation at low Class A Greensboro so he can develop fully.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The Marlins took Tankersley one round ahead of Vargas in June, and the duo matched each other with quality outings until Vargas' promotion. After working as a swingman at Alabama, Tankersley operated on a strict pitch count at Jamestown that limited his opportunity to pick up wins. But his stuff was evident. He showed command of a low-90s fastball and a 12-to-6 curveball that already is of major league quality. He's more raw than Vargas, and there are some questions about Tankersley's fiery makeup and antics on the mound. "He's pretty legit," Mahoning Valley manager Mike Sarbaugh said. "He's got a real good arm, and the one thing that stuck out to me is he has real good command of his pitches. He doesn't walk many and he attacks the zone."
