The Pirates Have Two of Baseball's Top Young Pitchers

The Pittsburgh Pirates have done very well for themselves in the first round of the past two drafts, turning their number two (2010) and number one (2011) overall picks into Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole; two elite young pitchers with some tremendous skills.

In 2010, Jameson Taillon was selected out of high school as the number two overall pick in the MLB draft, taken behind Bryce Harper. Taillon pitched the 2011 season at single A, finishing with a 3.98 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts in 92.2 innings. He was on a strict pitch count, causing him to average just over four innings in his 23 starts. Taillon showed impressive control for a 19 year old, walking just 22 batters, with a 4.41 strikeout to walk rate. We should see the Pirates give Taillon a longer leash in 2012, allowing for a better look at what he can truly do.

With an ideal pitcher's build, standing 6'7", 230 lbs, Taillon features effortless velocity, sitting in the mid-90s, and topping out at 99. He also throws a dominating low-to-mid 80s curveball, already considered one of the elite curveballs in the minor leagues, and a very good mid-to-high 80s slider. Taillon lacks a good pitch to retire lefties with, although he is working on a changeup that some scouts believe to be average already.

For a pitcher who just turned 20 years old, Taillon has very little flaws and projects as a potential ace someday, who could feature four plus pitches if his changeup develops. If things fall right for him, he could be a fantasy ace, producing strong ERA and WHIP ratios, and competing for strikeout titles. Taillon is still raw and very young, so he will likely spend all of 2012 in the minors, making a 2013 debut very likely.

The 2011 draft was just as kind to the Pirates, allowing them to secure the services of another elite right hander, Gerrit Cole. He was selected first overall out of UCLA. In the 2011 college baseball season, Cole finished 6-8, with a 3.31 ERA, 119 strikeouts, and 24 walks in 114.1 innings pitched.

Cole has some off-the-charts raw stuff, highlighted by his four-seam fastball that sits in the high 90s, touching triple digits from time to time; he also throws a two-seam fastball in the low 90s. He has a plus changeup, with very good arm action, that sits in the mid-to-high 80s. He also throws his slider in the high 80s that flashes as plus, but is his third best offering. Like Taillon, Cole has a great pitcher's build at 6'4", 220 pounds, helping him to pitch deep into games while at UCLA, averaging over seven innings per start.

Cole projects as an elite level starting pitcher, with the chance for three dominant pitches. He could also be a true anchor to any fantasy staff in a couple years time, contributing low ERA and WHIP ratios, while producing monster strikeout totals. Cole is 21 years old and a little more developed that Taillon is, giving him a chance to make his major league debut at some point during the 2012 season, although a 2013 debut is probably more likely.

Both Taillon and Cole could develop into the type of pitcher who could head almost any big league, or fantasy rotation. Most people would rank Gerrit Cole as the slightly better prospect, but I have seen those who would prefer Taillon. For fantasy purposes, I would draft Cole over Taillon in a dynasty league draft, as Cole is a little more advanced in his progression, meaning he will be able to contribute sooner. His further progressed skills also give him a higher floor than Taillon. Cole has also proven that he can pitch deep into games at UCLA, while Taillon's workload was capped in 2011, leaving a little more uncertainty about his durability. His lack of work in 2011 may make for a buying opportunity in dynasty leagues if Taillon's owner is overly worried about it.

I would consider Gerrit Cole a top five fantasy pitching prospect, with the only pitcher clearly ranking ahead of him being Matt Moore of the Tampa Bay Rays. Taillon would also be included in my top ten, but would probably just miss out on my top five; you can't go wrong with either player here.

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