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The Many (Hideous) Faces of Jameson Taillon

Jameson Taillon: Pirates’ pitching prospect; looks as though he’s always trying to pass a long overdue bowl movement.

Don’t believe me? Well, see for yourself:

It began in high school…

A night after eating his weight at P.F. Chang’s…

Fighting a pre-pitch eruption…

About to give birth…

To twins…

Prior to a DL stint for torn UCL, asshole…

A face so hideous it had to be captured on a baseball card…

Top 50 Prospects: #5 – Gerrit Cole

#5 Gerrit Cole

Pittsburgh Pirates

DOB: 9/8/1990

Previous Rank: N/A

ETA: 2013

Cole was the first guy off the board in 2011, and it is pretty tough to make a strong case against that pick (except for the $8 million price tag).  We did not view him as the top guy available, but no one could blame Pittsburgh for viewing him as just that either.

Cole has reached well beyond the 100 mph plateau, and his changeup was the best changeup of any draft class in recent memory.  He also features a knockout slider that routinely gets 60 grades.  He has a terrific arsenal of pitches and has average or better command as well. His mechanics are hit and miss, though, which is why we liked several guys a little more than Cole going into the draft.  With someone of his caliber, it’s really just nitpicking.  Gerrit Cole has a chance to be the best pitcher in baseball and immediately ascended to the top of the Pirates’ rankings ahead of noteworthy players like Jameson Taillon and Starling Marte.

Cole looked a little sloppy in the AFL, but he still was able to make five starts and record 15 innings of professional baseball.  Let me just take this time to mention how terrific we at The Sombrero think the AFL is, especially for those guys like Cole and Hultzen who signed late and are looking to snag their first few starts of professional baseball before winter shut-downs.  Anyway, Gerrit Cole is absolutely a stallion and he should debut early in 2013.

Top 50 Prospects: #12 – Jameson Taillon

#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.

Year Age Tm Lg Lev Aff W L ERA G GS IP BB SO HBP
2011 19 West Virginia SALL A PIT 2 3 3.98 23 23 92.2 22 97 9
1 Season 2 3 3.98 23 23 92.2 22 97 9
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/12/2012.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev Aff W L ERA G GS IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2011 19 West Virginia SALL A PIT 2 3 3.98 23 23 92.2 1.198 8.6 0.9 2.1 9.4 4.41
1 Season 2 3 3.98 23 23 92.2 1.198 8.6 0.9 2.1 9.4 4.41
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/12/2012.

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.


Top 50 Prospects: #24 – Josh Bell

#24 Josh Bell

Pittsburgh Pirates

DOB: 8/14/1992

Previous Rank: N/A

ETA: 2014

How is it that no one in the first round went after this guy?  It’s no secret for readers of The Sombrero that we were all in on Bell for whatever the cost.  It must have killed the Red Sox and any other team without a budget to see Pittsburgh get this kid signed.

Without a doubt Bell was the premier prep bat in the 2011 draft class, and the assumption was that Bell was unsignable regardless of the size of the bonus.  Wrong.  The Pirates got it done for $5 million, and as we learned last week what dramatic effects the new CBA will bring to the draft, that number is looking pretty damn tame.  Bell likely would be one of the first guys off of the board if not the first in three years, and the slot recommendation for the top pick is around $7.5 million and likely climbing.

Bell is a 60 hitter from both sides with a 60 future power grading.  His defense in the outfield is better than people gave him credit for prior to the draft, and it should improve as he matures to the point that he is at least average in left if not a 55.  We expect the Pirates to start Bell out in Easy A and to be patient with him, but bats like his are rare.  Look for the Bucs to push Bell through as fast as they can to ensure that he reaches PNC before Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen begin to decline and as Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole are reaching their primes.

The Pirates system is not making quite as much noise as Washington’s due in large part to the fact that Bryce Harper is in the latter, but they are just about as stellar at the top and might even be deeper.  Bell is without a doubt the top bat in the Pirates organization and could challenge for a top 10 ranking in 2012.

Top 50 Prospects: #32 – Starling Marte

#32 Starling Marte

Pittsburgh Pirates

DOB: 10/9/1988

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2012

Marte has four plus tools and an average one, but he lacks the discipline in the box to be ranked as high as other elite hitters with similar skill sets.  We at The Sombrero treat strike-zone judgment about as seriously as we treat the hit tool itself, and Marte appears to have very little of it.  That said, he posted a tremendously impressive .332/.370/.500 slash line with 24 stolen bases and nearly 60 hits for extra bases in the Eastern League.  He only worked 22 walks in over 560 plate appearances, and, while his ability to lay off secondary stuff improved as the year progressed, he still has a long way to go before he is able to differentiate balls and strikes or square strikes up with secondary offerings.

Year Age Tm Lg Lev G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BA
2007 18 Pirates DOSL FRk 45 156 132 27 29 4 1 1 11 16 2 .220
2008 19 Pirates DOSL FRk 65 293 257 53 76 10 2 9 44 20 8 .296
2009 20 3 Teams 3 Lgs A-Rk-A+ 57 256 230 42 71 9 5 3 35 24 7 .309
2009 20 Pirates GULF Rk 2 7 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2009 20 West Virginia SALL A 54 247 221 41 69 9 5 3 34 24 7 .312
2009 20 Lynchburg CARL A+ 1 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.000
2010 21 2 Teams 2 Lgs A+-Rk 68 281 248 47 79 19 5 2 38 26 9 .319
2010 21 Pirates GULF Rk 8 28 26 6 9 3 0 2 5 4 1 .346
2010 21 Bradenton FLOR A+ 60 253 222 41 70 16 5 0 33 22 8 .315
2011 22 Altoona EL AA 129 572 536 91 178 38 8 12 50 24 12 .332
5 Seasons 364 1558 1403 260 433 80 21 27 178 110 38 .309
FRk (2 seasons) FRk 110 449 389 80 105 14 3 10 55 36 10 .270
Rk (2 seasons) Rk 10 35 33 7 9 3 0 2 5 4 1 .273
A+ (2 seasons) A+ 61 255 224 41 72 16 5 0 34 22 8 .321
A (1 season) A 54 247 221 41 69 9 5 3 34 24 7 .312
AA (1 season) AA 129 572 536 91 178 38 8 12 50 24 12 .332
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/1/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev G PA AB HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2007 18 Pirates DOSL FRk 45 156 132 1 11 10 29 .220 .307 .288 .595 38
2008 19 Pirates DOSL FRk 65 293 257 9 44 16 53 .296 .367 .455 .822 117
2009 20 3 Teams 3 Lgs A-Rk-A+ 57 256 230 3 35 12 56 .309 .371 .430 .802 99
2009 20 Pirates GULF Rk 2 7 7 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0
2009 20 West Virginia SALL A 54 247 221 3 34 12 55 .312 .377 .439 .815 97
2009 20 Lynchburg CARL A+ 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000 2
2010 21 2 Teams 2 Lgs A+-Rk 68 281 248 2 38 13 65 .319 .387 .460 .847 114
2010 21 Pirates GULF Rk 8 28 26 2 5 1 6 .346 .393 .692 1.085 18
2010 21 Bradenton FLOR A+ 60 253 222 0 33 12 59 .315 .386 .432 .819 96
2011 22 Altoona EL AA 129 572 536 12 50 22 100 .332 .370 .500 .870 268
5 Seasons 364 1558 1403 27 178 73 303 .309 .366 .453 .820 636
FRk (2 seasons) FRk 110 449 389 10 55 26 82 .270 .346 .398 .745 155
Rk (2 seasons) Rk 10 35 33 2 5 1 7 .273 .314 .545 .860 18
A+ (2 seasons) A+ 61 255 224 0 34 12 59 .321 .391 .438 .829 98
A (1 season) A 54 247 221 3 34 12 55 .312 .377 .439 .815 97
AA (1 season) AA 129 572 536 12 50 22 100 .332 .370 .500 .870 268
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/1/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev Aff G Ch PO A E Fld% RF/G
2007 18 Pirates DOSL FRk PIT RF 3 2 2 0 0 1.000 0.67
2007 18 Pirates DOSL FRk PIT OF 37 38 34 2 2 .947 0.97
2007 18 Pirates DOSL FRk PIT LF 35 36 32 2 2 .944 0.97
2007 18 Pirates DOSL FRk PIT CF 1 0 0 0 0 0.00
2008 19 Pirates DOSL FRk PIT CF 40 86 74 8 4 .953 2.05
2008 19 Pirates DOSL FRk PIT RF 21 34 29 3 2 .941 1.52
2008 19 Pirates DOSL FRk PIT LF 7 8 7 0 1 .875 1.00
2009 20 3 Teams 3 Lgs A-Rk-A+ PIT CF 38 87 80 3 4 .954 2.18
2009 20 2 Teams 2 Lgs A-Rk PIT RF 20 63 57 3 3 .952 3.00
2009 20 Pirates GULF Rk PIT RF 1 6 6 0 0 1.000 6.00
2009 20 Pirates GULF Rk PIT CF 1 3 2 1 0 1.000 3.00
2009 20 West Virginia SALL A PIT RF 19 57 51 3 3 .947 2.84
2009 20 West Virginia SALL A PIT CF 36 83 77 2 4 .952 2.19
2009 20 Lynchburg CARL A+ PIT CF 1 1 1 0 0 1.000 1.00
2010 21 2 Teams 2 Lgs A+-Rk PIT CF 57 133 117 9 7 .947 2.21
2010 21 Pirates GULF Rk PIT CF 7 17 16 0 1 .941 2.29
2010 21 Bradenton FLOR A+ PIT RF 2 4 4 0 0 1.000 2.00
2010 21 Bradenton FLOR A+ PIT CF 50 116 101 9 6 .948 2.20
2011 22 Altoona EL AA PIT CF 129 334 308 18 8 .976 2.53
2011 22 Altoona EL AA PIT OF 129 334 308 18 8 .976 2.53
5 Seasons 351 787 710 46 31 .961 2.15
CF (5 seasons) CF 265 640 579 38 23 .964 2.33
RF (4 seasons) RF 46 103 92 6 5 .951 2.13
LF (2 seasons) LF 42 44 39 2 3 .932 0.98
OF (2 seasons) OF 166 372 342 20 10 .973 2.18
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/1/2011.

He is a terrific runner who will eventually move Andrew McCutchen to a corner spot.  His arm will be plus in center and is quite accurate with good carry.  He squares fastballs up as well as anyone in the Minors today and has the legs to beat out several grounders per year.  His power is behind his other tools, but it is at least in the “gap” category now with likely more to come as he matures.

Considering that Marte had a terrific season in Double-A as a 22-year-old, the future is looking very bright in the Pirate outfield.  Marte plays the game very hard and gets great marks for his makeup too.  We expect to see Marte at PNC in 2012, but it hopefully comes after several hundred at-bats in Triple-A first.