The Pirates have the second pick in today's draft, and ESPN's Buster Olney reports that they are expected to take high school pitcher Jameson Taillon. This matches predictions made this morning by Baseball America's Jim Callis and ESPN's Keith Law, though an earlier note by Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggested they were leaning toward Manny Machado. Talking to Finder, Bucs GM Neal Huntington explained that "we passed on some high school pitchers last year because, quite candidly, we didn't think they had the stuff that allowed [some] to be the exceptions."
For more on Taillon, check out Mike Axisa's post from May 29th.
I love Taillon and I think Pirates would be stupid not to take him.
Tallion has a 98 MPH fastball and a disgusting Curve. I think he has the stuff that makes him an exception.
Tom, I’ve got to agree with Braves & Erik on this one — if a projected #1 starter is available, you’ve GOT to take him — HS or college. The only opportunity the Pirates have to get a #1 starter is via the draft. That said, if Taillon projects as a #2 or 3 (as does Pomeranz or some of the other arms in the draft), then you go with Machado.
I just cannot see passing on a #1 starter *JUST* because he’s a HS kid. This HS kid is not 6’1, 185lbs. He’s 6’5, 230lbs. He *lives* at 94-97, and can touch 99.
I hope they take this kid and then concentrate on some power bats @ corner positions.
What does size have to do with anything?
aap212: it is not necessarily the “size”, but the body on the pitcher. This “administration” the Pirates currently have in place favor big framed pitchers (look at the pitchers they’ve traded for…they’re all big frame guys!). I don’t know if the belief is that the big bodies can handle the workload better than the little ones, but at 6’5, 230lbs this kid has a GREAT FRAME to work with on an 18 year old kid.
Compare that to Machado — 6’3″, 185lbs…it is his FRAME that has people worried he may not stick at SS, and may ultimately prove to be a 3B in the future (that, coupled with the fact some believe he may not be a 5-tool guy — his speed could end up lacking in the end).
Lots of great pitchers aren’t big (Pedro, Roy, and Tim laugh at size queens). Lots of great players don’t have five tools. And increasing number of shortstops are big. I understand valuing size, but I think it’s silly to knock the Pirates if they take Machado, too.
Taillon will be the best player to come out of the draft. Nice for the Pirates to actually get lucky and get a good player.
How anyone can still take Chuck Finder serious is baffling to me.
Exactly. He is a terrible writer and when Dejan was gone in February I pretty much stopped reading the PG. He thinks he’s some sort of comedian or something, but he just needs to focus on writing his damn story.
Probably a real minority opinion I have here, but I really think the Pirates ought to draft Zach Cox. Besides Alvarez (and maybe Neil Walker?) they’ve really got no one in that infield or on their farm that is going to do some damage.
I would like this move a lot, but I also love Machado, they can go either way. Tallion could be that ace though which they’ve needed for years ever since Oliver Perez regressed. That was the best season we’ve gotten out of a starting pitcher in quite some time.
There is absolutely no way that Machado signs until right before the deadline, so in terms of when Machado and Taillon will sign it will be about the same. He is a Boras client and he could not even sign at all, although I doubt that would happen.