Jack Taschner Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Jack Gerard Taschner
Born 04/21/1978 in Milwaukee, WI
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Debut 06/11/2005
Drafted in the 2nd round (75th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 1999 (signed for $450,000).

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The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was one of two Division III leagues that used wood bats in all its games this season. The results were dramatic for the nation's top team, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which posted a 1.01 ERA on its way to a 31-1 record. The school's pitching staff is so dominant that 6-foot-3, 195-pound LHP Jack Taschner, the state's top pro prospect, is only the No. 3 starter in the rotation. Taschner has kept his record intact of never losing a collegiate game. Of more importance to scouts, he has a fresh arm. He was an outfielder in high school and has thrown little more than 100 innings in his collegiate career. Mechanically, he compares to Jarrod Washburn, a second-round pick out of the same school in 1995, but is further ahead because he has a better breaking ball. Taschner's fastball touches 92 mph; he often struggles with command.

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The Giants had high hopes for Taschner and pushed him aggressively in his first full pro season, sending him to high Class A. He was waylaid by injuries, however, including a blown out elbow that required Tommy John surgery that knocked him out for the entire 2002 season. Taschner endured, even through an ugly second half in 2004 when he posted a 9.28 ERA in Triple-A and gave up 14 home runs in 53 innings. He was much better in a return trip to Fresno last season, and his stuff took off when he worked solely in a relief role. His once-average velocity jumped into the low to mid-90s, the hardest he has thrown since he was drafted. His improved fastball and solid changeup helped him shackle righthanders to a .138 average between Triple-A and the majors. His increased velocity was the biggest factor in his ability to handle them. His slider has some depth to it and can be a solid-average pitch if it becomes more consistent. If Taschner were more durable, he'd probably get a chance to start again. But the Giants finally have found a way for him to be productive and will keep him in relief. He figures to be one of the top lefties in their bullpen this year.