#12 Jameson Taillon

Pittsburgh Pirates

DOB: 11/18/1991

Previous Rank: 14

ETA: 2014

The Pirates insist on babying Taillon, who some thought actually was the top player available in the 2010 draft even ahead of Bryce Harper.  Regardless of who was better, what is certain is that Taillon was the best pitching prospect in his class, so some restraint is probably highly prudent and highly warranted.

His fastball and breaking ball are both at least 60-grades every night and can reach 70s.  His breaking ball is arguably the best pitch from any of the last five drafts, and his fastball can reach the upper-90s with good plane and arm-side activity.  His command can stand to improve, but it already has substantially since he signed.

Even though he never made it past the fifth inning of any start, he still was able to post a sub-4.00 ERA with 97 strikeouts and 22 walks in 92.0 innings.  Look for that count to jump up to the 125 IP area in 2012 and for Taillon to dominate Double-A hitters like he did Sally League hitters.  Taillon is so advanced in terms of stuff that he should never be challenged while in the Minors by anyone or anything except his own standards and the standards of his organization, which is quickly on the rise.

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With a third of the MLB season in the books, and some of the baseball’s best prospects now suiting up for their respective big league squads, it’s time to reflect on the performances of our Top 50 Prospects.  Today we look at 14-10, which includes: Jameson Taillon, Julio Teheran, Aroldis Chapman, Mike Moustakas and Desmond Jennings.

14. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Class-A: 1-1, 3.10 ERA, 29 IP, 4 BB, 24 K, 1.103 WHIP

13. Julio Teheran, RHP, Atlanta Braves

Triple-A: 4-1, 2.36 ERA, 49.2 IP, 16 BB, 41 K, 1.188 WHIP, 0.2 HR/9

MLB: 0-1, 5.19 ERA, 8.2 IP, 4 BB, 2 K, 1.615 WHIP

12. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Cincinnati Reds

Triple-A: 0-1, 13.50 ERA, 4.2 IP, 2 BB, 8 K, 2.357 WHIP

MLB: 2-0, 6.92 ERA, 13 IP, 20 BB, 15 K, 2.000 WHIP

11. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals

Triple-A: .289/.355/.497, 12 2B, 3B, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 18 BB, 39 K

10. Desmond Jennings, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

Triple-A: .272/.376/.467, 10 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 24 RBI, 28 BB, 41 K, 9 SB

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Shortly after the turn of the New Year, we began unveiling our Top 50 Prospects for the 2011 season.  The list is the product of hours of deliberation between Dee and myself, and is far from your average, cookie-cutter top prospect list.

Our rankings are based on a number of criteria such as ceiling, refinement, age, level, performance, and health thus far.  Positional scarcity and chances to stay at a premium position in the Major Leagues carries some weight too, but is a lesser component. No pitcher rankings are based off of potential as relievers because no top arm ends up in the bullpen unless the front office decides to lose its mind.

In case you have missed any player on our list, here is a recap of 11-20:

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#14 Jameson Taillon – Pittsburgh Pirates

RHP

DOB: 11-18-91

ETA: 2013

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• John Parker of MiLB.com recently did a Q & A with the second overall pick in the 2009 draft, Jameson Taillon.  Ranked by MLB.com as the #18 prospect in baseball – and yet to appear on the Sombrero’s list – the 6-foot-6, 225-pound right-hander provides a colorful interview in which he discusses his baseball upbringing, rise to prominence, and lifestyle.  Taillon also mentions that Shelby Miller is a “really good” golfer.

• Although Bruce Bochy has stated that 1B Brandon Belt has a shot to make the club out of Spring Training, Crazy Crabbers still believes that it is highly unlikely.  By delaying Belt’s arrival until late April or early May – provided that he’s still mashing – the Giants retain control of his contract through the 2018 season, as opposed to 2017 if he were to make the team out of Spring Training.  Considering that the two rookies, Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner, were arguably the main reason that the team made the playoffs and went on to win the World Series, perhaps this could be the year that Brain Sabean mixes things up.

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