Keith Law has released his updated top 25 prospects today for ESPN Insider subscribers. He notes that it is early for an update to the top 100, but that the top 25 has changed a lot due to the promotions and injuries. Law had pitchers Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole ranked in his top ten, with Cole ranked seventh and Taillon ranked tenth.
Heading in to the year, Law had Cole 10th and Taillon 15th. Four of the pre-season top ten guys have graduated from the list, so the moves were natural moves upward.
Law notes that Cole has been throwing a fastball heavy diet, and won’t show how close he is to the majors until he’s challenged in Double-A. For Taillon, he concludes that the right-hander has the size and velocity to be a top ten starter in the majors, but looks like he’s three to four years away from his peak.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
A shocking verdict about the 20 year old Taillon. He’s years away from his peak, unlike Bundy or Cole or Miller (bored stiff, he is!, that his fastball has lost velocity!), Teheran (and his straight fastball and so-so curveball)….
/sarcasm
One interesting note: Law ranked Bubba Starling 15th even though the Royals believe Starling is unready to challenge -A pitching.
Agree King. Verlander came up through and played AA in my hometown. Do you think anyone cared back then? Nope. Hindsight kinda thing.
No matter how you slice it Cole and Taillon are dissapoinments they both should be dominating A-ball.
If they were were drafted in the 20-30 range they would be OK. I have no idea what they will become but gaw damitt you can’t spend the type of money that the Pirates spent and get avg. numbers. Cole with an above 3.00 era at a-ball is stupid he should be at at least 2 or below.
I don’t pretend to know what is wrong with this org. but something is seriously F-up.
Uh….are you being ironic? Or are you just retarded? Or maybe that Keith Law guy is just a moron and doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
First off, learn how to read a stat line and actually pay attention. I’ll take Taillon having one bad start in 8 for 6 years of service time until we can’t afford him anymore. Now, as for Cole, I’m just not sure how much lower his WHIP has to be, or how much higher his k/9 has to be until he’s taken seriously.
what are you? an idiot? Cole and Taillon are being dominant down there. Both flashing mid to high 90’s fastballs. Both showing very good control and both are working on mechanical issues.
Now Cole has a 2.60 ERA with a 3-1 record. 1.00 WHIP 9.2 K/9, 3.54 K:BB. At 21 years old.
To compare: Jered Weaver, in his 21 year old season, went 4-1, 0.97 WHIP, 3.91 ERA, 11.2 K/9, 3.65 K:BB.
Let’s do it with Taillon also. 3-3. 2.61 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 9.4 K/9, 4.41 K:BB.
To compare: Adam Wainwright, in his 20 year old season, went 9-6, 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 10.1 K/9 and 2.53 K:BB.
To be fair, Weaver has only been pretty dominant at the MLB level and Wainwright has been a force in the Cardinals rotation. If Cole turns into a Weaver and Taillon into a Wainwright, I think a lot of people would be pretty happy.