info@baseball.ca  (613) 748-5606

News

Image

Taillon and Paxton among top prospects in baseball

OTTAWA-MLB.com released their annual Top 100 Prospects yesterday and included on the list were RHP pitcher Jameson Taillon (Woodlands, TX) at #15 and LHP James Paxton (Delta, BC) at #61.

Although born and raised in the United Sates, Taillon was named to Canada’s Provisional for the upcoming World Baseball Classic by virtue of both his parents being Canadian.

Taken 2nd overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, Taillon reached Double-A last year and it shouldn’t be much longer until he’s flashing his min 90’s fastball in the big-leagues.

The 21 year-old split the 2012 season between High-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona and struck out 116 batters in 142 innings, while carrying a combined ERA of 3.55.

Taillon is the 6th highest right-handed pitcher on the list.

Paxton, a Seattle Mariners prospect, jumped up 16 spots on the list after he made his debut on MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects at #77 in 2012.

The 24 year-old will be in the mix for a spot in the Mariners rotation when Spring Training opens after a solid 2012 campaign with the Jackson Generals in the Double-A Southern League where he went 9-4 with 3.05 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings.

Part of a trio of top Mariners pitching prospects along with Taijuan Walker (#5) and Danny Hultzen (#18), Paxton is noted for having a plus fastball and power curve.

Originally selected in the first round of the 2009 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays out of the University of Kentucky, Paxton was unable to come to terms with the Blue Jays and re-entered the draft in 2010. The Seattle Mariners used a fourth round selection on Paxton and signed him prior to the 2011 season.

Paxton is a two-time member of the Junior National Team and captured bronze with the 2006 club at the IBAF World Junior Championship in Cuba.

Jurickson Profar of the Texas Rangers took the honour of being the #1 prospect on the list and a pair of right-handers in the Toronto Blue Jays system, Aaron Sanchez (#35) and Roberto Osuna (#90), also made the list.

To view the complete Top 100 list from MLB.com, please click HERE


Partners