On Steven Brault & Jameson Taillon

Steven Brault, 24, was the player to be named later in the Travis Snider trade with the Baltimore Orioles in 2015. A San Diego native (he's still a Padres fan), he's put up a 2-3/2.57 slash at Indy, with just eight starts because of time off for a hammy issue. He's been back in action since June 20th with a rehab start at Morgantown and a couple of outings for Indianapolis.

Steven Brault (image via MLB Pipeline)

The southpaw's toolkit features four pitches - a sinking fastball that sits between 89-92, a slider that's his out pitch, an average change and a show-me curve. Brault has shown the ability to miss some bats, averaging 11 K per game, though none of his pitches is considered a real plus offering but MLB average stuff. His keys are a lively pace on the hill, a deceptive delivery (not herky jerky, but one where he hides the ball well), good command/location along with mixing speeds. As a bonus, Steven is a pretty good hitter, as he was an OF'er in college when he wasn't on the bump.

He does allow runners; his WHIP is 1.429, with a hit an inning and four walks per game. Then again, Brault does only have 35 IP at the AAA level. And his FIP of 2.87 indicates that he's not been the beneficiary of luck, but has a honest set of numbers. We've seen a couple of comparisons with Mark Buehle tossed out there; we're a bit more reminded of a Jeff Locke type of guy, hopefully without the ups and downs.

His background is modest; after HS ball he went to D-2 Regis University in Colorado to pitch (and also sing; he was a vocal major and has both sung a pre-game National Anthem & played in a rock band) and was drafted in the eleventh round (#339) of his junior year. With the Pirates, the #17 prospect per Baseball America has been moving up like a geyser, starting 2015 at Bradenton, moving to Altoona and then beginning the 2016 campaign at Indy before getting a ticket to the show, where today he'll become the first Regis Ranger to pitch in the majors.

Brault was probably brought up before his time as a matter of circumstance. He was in line to pitch today, and the decision to DL Jameson Taillon left Steven as the obvious spot starter, and maybe a little more.

JT will get a break as he rests from shoulder fatigue (photo MLB Pipeline)

JT took a couple of seasons off after Tommy John and hernia surgeries, and people had been knocking on wood that the innings wouldn't catch up to him. Looks like they did, as the FO placed him on the DL with shoulder fatigue. The Pirates can backdate the move to the DL to Thursday, setting up a return date July 15th. Hopefully, that's all it is.

We don't think this is a hocus-pocus to save innings; otherwise, the FO might have lined up Tyler Galsnow instead of Brault and saved the 40-man roster move. Our guess is that JT felt a little dead arm after his last bullpen, and the Pirates took the opportunity to shut him down for a couple of weeks to save him for the dog days. It's good after the TJ surgery that it wasn't an achy elbow, but still, shoulder weakness can sometimes be the precursor of some serious stuff, so we'll see how that plays out, tho every indication is that it's a minor tweak and not anything serious.

He and Cole Train should return after the ASB - Gerrit is working a rehab start tonight, with a three inning/50 pitch limit - so the pitching is beginning to line up again if the team can get through the Cardinals/Cubs lead-in to the All-Star game.

This was, after all, supposed to be a transition year for the pitching staff. We're pretty sure the FO didn't plan on having four guys make their MLB debuts before ASB, but it's nice to know that the pipeline could handle the call for arms.

Jameson Taillon: He's Here - What He's Got & What To Expect

Man, talk about your long and winding road. Picked second in the 2010 draft between Bryce Harper and Manny Machado (fun fact: despite all those over-slot prep pitchers the Bucs drafted, JT will be the first HS pitcher drafted by Neal Huntington to make it to the bigs), Jameson Taillon was in AAA by 2013 and on the radar to land in the show by 2014. Then...boom.

Taillon missed all of 2014 and 2015 after undergoing Tommy John and then inguinal (sports) hernia surgeries. Most 20-somethings would lapse into po' me syndrome with back-to-back blows like that, but not JT. Showing remarkable maturity, he used the time to hone both his body (the 24 year old is 6'5", 240 pounds) and his mind, getting stronger and learning the nuances of his craft and personal mound mechanics. So it's a bummer that he missed two full seasons, but the end result is a more improved pitching product.

Jameson Taillon (photo via MLB Pipeline)

He began the comeback late last year in Pirate City's instructional league, and then took it to another level at Indy this year. In ten starts covering 61-2/3 IP, Taillon has a 4-2/2.04 slash with some gaudy peripherals. His WHIP is 0.811, he gives up 6.4 hits per nine, has fanned 61 and walked just six, and sports a 50% ground ball rate. His arm seems strong enough as he's worked at least six innings every start, although like Gerrit Cole, the seventh is a red flag frame. Taillon has yet to hit 100 pitches in a game this season as a concession to his arm (although he has been to 99 a couple of times).

JT was widely regarded as the next man up from Indy once Super 2 status was in the rear view mirror, and here he is. If he sticks, he'll have 118 service days this year; Super 2 has never kicked in with fewer than 122 days served during a rookie campaign. He shrugs it off, telling the media that he still had some pitching issues to resolve at Indy, so it was all good.

His toolbox consists of three main components: a fastball that sits at 95, a 12-to-6 drop curve, and a change up; he also has a two seamer to coax a grounder. The first two pitches are MLB quality; there's still some concern that his change sometimes comes out flat, and he'll have some work to do to get a consistent feel for that pitch. The organization mantra is to think sinker, so his two seamer may come more into play with the Pirates.

JT has four pitches in his arsenal (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

Mentally, he does his homework; that maturity factor should prove a great help to him as he acclimates to the league. The only performance factor that comes up is his inability to hold runners with his long delivery, but that's a minor quibble in the overall scheme of things.

The big question is what the immediate plans are for JT. As Clint said, there are things involved, some of which are under Taillon's control (ie, pitch well) and others that aren't. If the FO isn't blowing smoke, those issues are primarily how many innings they intend to allow him after his layoff (tho Hurdle did say the recovery time has left the righty with “a full gas tank”) and how the brass decides to juggle the current rotation. So Jameson's outing today could run the gamut from a one-and-done for the time being to earning him a regular turn in the rotation.

No matter how that coin lands, the transition has begun. Jameson Taillon is the front edge of a wave of talent including Tyler Glasnow and Chad Kuhl, and that group may be established in Pittsburgh by sometime after the All-Star break. It's hard to predict how their maiden voyages will end up, but boy, does 2017's starting pitching look like the dawn of a promising new era.

Jameson Taillon...And Beyond

Jameson Taillon elected to have TJ surgery on his elbow, and it took a while to decide. The ligament wasn't structurally damaged, but as Neal Huntington told the Root Sports crew, it was "compromised," GM-talk for a train wreck waiting to eventually happen. So after going over the options with his family, agents and the club, Taillon decided it was better for his career to get it done now rather than wait for it to shred.

It's probably a good decision on his part, but it does take Plan A for the Bucs' future rotation off the boards as recovery is expected to take 12-18 months. Kyle McPherson had the same surgery in July, and has been throwing since February, so there's hope that the layoff will be shorter rather than longer. But you can bet the Bucs will be conservative with his arm, as he's at least a staff's #2 arm.

The Pirates have a lot invested in him. Taillon was the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, and they gave him a $6.5M signing bonus, which was then a franchise record.

His injury leads us to the future of Bucco pitching, of which he was considered an integral part. This year, Jeff Locke is still recovering from an oblique injury, but Brandon Cumpton has looked good in camp and at Indy while Stolmy Pimentel is a starter in waiting. Jeanmar Gomez could fill in as a four-five guy, too, if stretched out. That's about where Phil Irwin ranks, too, as he returns from ulnar surgery. They should have the depth to weather a storm this season, especially if McPherson becomes available late in the year.

What of 2015? We can't expect Taillon to be ready to open the season, and only two Pirate pitchers, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton, have contracts beyond 2014. That's a good start, but leaves a lot of holes. Stolmy should be in the rotation and likely Locke. The Bucs will bring in another vet for Ray Searage to tinker with, and Cumpton/McPherson will be knocking on the door. Nick Kingham is at Altoona and could be starting at Indy sometime this year, so he's got a shot, though probably later in the year.

The Pirates pride themselves on the home-grown products, and have focused their drafts on promising arms. The pipeline is finally flowing, and 2015 may be the year that proves that pride is justified.

Jameson Taillon

Gerrit Cole burst on the Bucco scene this season and gave the rotation a much needed boost. In 2014, Buc fans are hoping RHP Jameson Taillon, 21 (his b-day is in November), will provide the same jolt of electricity.

The 6'6" righty was the second pick overall in the 2010 draft, and has progressed through the Pirate system in fairly rapid steps, considering he was just a high school kid when he started. Now he's on track to start the 2014 season at Indy (he joined their staff in August) after stops at West Virginia, Bradenton and Altoona.

He has a pedigree of being a Top Twenty MLB Prospect. Right now, Taillon features a plus fastball (sits at 94-95, touches 99) and a knee-bending curve that's just a little consistency away from being another plus delivery. Like all Pittsburgh pitchers, he's working on a change to keep opposite side hitters honest, and he also has a slider that's not on a par with his heater and hook. He's also working on the Bucco mainstay, the two seamer.

And he still has a couple of issues to focus on. One is a tendency to leave pitches, especially his fastball, up when he overthrows, which is tied into some debate about how he handles himself in jams. There are those who believe he's just not as effective out of a stretch, and others who think those situations are what leads him to overthrow. He has to slow down his game heartbeat, much like Cole is able to do, and trust that his stuff is good enough without adding any extra spice.

His walk rate and command could use some polishing, too. In a small sample size at Indy of just 37 IP, Jameson averaged nearly four walks per nine innings. That was, in justice to him, the only time he's gone over three walks per game in his minor league career. He said it's due to not giving in when behind in a count now that he's in the upper levels as blowing a blazer past a batter doesn't work in AAA. So whether that's a developing problem or a passing phase will be seen this season. But the Pirates want the big guy to last deep into games, and lack of command in the past has led to some unsightly pitch counts.

Aside from his youth and inexperience compared to Cole, Taillon still has to polish up his game if he's going to be the #2 in Pittsburgh. Picking up an effective third pitch, learning to be efficient in the strike zone and staying within himself are not really minor things in the process; they will determine if Jameson Taillon will be a top end or mid level guy in the Pirate rotation.

For all his sheer physical ability, his ERA in stints at West Virginia (3.98/3.37), Bradenton (3.82/3.70) and Altoona (3.67/3.34) has always been higher than his FIP. In three years, his record is 16-21 with a 3.72 ERA, not exactly the counting numbers you'd expect from a dominator. Make no mistake: we're not down on Taillon, but think that the brakes need pumped a little on the Cole 2.0 bandwagon.

For a high school kid, he's been promoted at a fairly aggressive rate by the FO, losing the chance to settle in and blow through a level. And the Pirates do have a pretty standardized teaching process for their pitchers through the system, which results in improved skills but not necessarily improved numbers, so the minor league line isn't always an obvious indicator of future success.

We're waiting for the day Taillon join Cole at the top of the Pirate rotation, and if it's in 2014, all the better. But don't expect Jameson to follow the same trail as Cole; the age, experience, temperament and skill sets don't match. He'll arrive soon enough.

Taillon Makes Another Top 50 List

Jim Bowden of Fox Sports picked his Top 50 Prospects. The Pirate rep was, natch, Jameson Taillon at #16.

Bowden wrote "Bulldog and work horse with a huge frame that reminds you of Josh Beckett. Fastball in the 94-97 range with a hard, late-breaking slider that gets as high as 86-87 with downward plane action. His change-up needs work as his arm speed slows down. Has the stuff, size and potential to be an ace with an arsenal that will miss bats."

Also, John Parker of MLB.com has posted an interview with Taillon.

Taillon Makes The Cut

Hey, the kid is 19 and hasn't thrown a pitch as a professional ballplayer yet. But Jameson Taillon has the juju. MLB.com named him its #18 ranked prospect in baseball, the only Bucco to crack the ratings.

Geez, and we thought Pedro was hyped to the max; we can't wait to hear the drumbeat accompanying Taillon. But of all the things the Bucs need, a top-of-the-order pitcher is number one on the list. Let's hope that the FO hit the jackpot with him, as it seems to have done with Pedro.

Jameson Taillon

OK, now that the Bucs have clinched their 18th losing season, Green Weenie figured it was about time to intersperse the usual bad MLB news with some occasional glad tidings. And what gladder tiding this season than the signing of Jameson Taillon?

Taillon is a RHP from The Woodlands, the largest high school in Texas. The eighteen year-old was born in Winter Haven, Florida, on November 18th, 1991, and stands 6'6", 225 pounds.

Despite being born in Florida, Taillon is a Canadian citizen and the highest draft pick ever taken from that nation.

Taillon's parents, Mike and Christie, are both from Ontario and met as students at the University of Toronto in the 1970s. His mom is from Toronto, and his dad is from St. Andrews, between Montreal and Ottawa. Like many French-Canadians who were fans of Le Habs Ken Dryden, Mike grew up as a goalie, which served as great training whenever he played catch with his son.

The couple eventually moved to the U.S. to follow jobs, and as a result, Jameson and his three older sibs hold dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship.

Instead of learning to slap hockey pucks, Jameson starting firing baseballs

In 11 games as a senior with The Woodlands this season, Taillon went 8-1 with a 1.78 ERA (he lost a 2-0 game). He struck out 114 batters and walked 21 in 62 innings of work, and whiffed 19 batters while tossing a no-hitter.

Taillon made The Woodlands varsity team as a freshman and went on to post a 22-6 record with 282 strikeouts in 173 innings during his high school career.

The Woodlands has a reputation as a baseball school; they have a couple of state championships under their belt. One year before Taillon reached high school, Kyle Drabek graduated The Woodlands and became Philadelphia's #1 draft selection. Drabek is now Toronto's top pitching prospect after being a centerpiece in the Roy Halladay trade over the winter.

JT pitched in two high school All-American games, the Aflac and Under Armour showcases, and took home the MVP honors for Team One at the Under Armour All-America Game. He also pitched in the Perfect Game National and World Showcase games in 2009, and was selected to the MaxPreps All-American Baseball Team.

Taillon matched up with numero uno selection Bryce Harper; he struck him out on fastballs low and away, and a curveball in the dirt.

He led the USA Baseball 18-and-under national team to its first gold medal in the Pan American AAA/18U Championships in Venezuela last fall. In the championship game win over Cuba, Taillon allowed no runs and struck out 16 batters in 7-2/3 innings, setting a Team USA single-game record. Taillon went 2-0 with 28 strikeouts in two starts, and didn't yield a run.

Taillon was rated by Baseball America as the best pitcher available in the draft and as the second-best overall player among the top 200 prospects. In addition, they rated him as having the "Best Fastball" and as being the "Closest to the Majors" among all high school pitchers. BA also ranked him the 17th best draft prospect of the past twenty years.

In spite of the glowing reviews, the Bucco brass seemed torn between him and Florida high school SS Manny Machado. But the rumors were that Machado didn't really want to play for Pittsburgh, and the fact was that he was represented by Scott Boras. So hey, on draft day, it was welcome to Pittsburgh, Jameson, and hope you enjoy Baltimore, Manny.

Taillon made history of a sorts that day when he became just the third high school RHP pitcher to be selected with the #2 overall pick, joining Josh Beckett and former Astros great J.R. Richard.

He became the first high school player the Pirates chose in the first round since selecting Andrew McCutchen in 2005 - and McCutch turned out OK, we'd say. He's the seventh high school pitcher the organization has used its first pick on since 1970. Of those previous six, two - Rod Scurry (#11, 1974) and Sean Burnett (#19, 2000) - made it to the show, both as middle relievers. That certainly isn't the plan for Taillon.

His ceiling is that of a number one starter, potential that the Pirates lack at the major or minor league level. GM Neal Huntington has often pooh-poohed the thought of taking high school pitchers in round one because of their inherent risk, so by pulling the trigger on Taillon, they must agree with the draft gurus.

It wasn't that his signing was a slam dunk. First, he had committed to Rice, a dream of his for years. He comes from an academically strong background; his parents are collegians and he has a sister attending law school, a brother beginning his medical school residency and another brother who is a Ph.D. candidate.

Taillon himself is another Ross Ohlendorf in the making; he's a star in the classroom with a 3.85 grade point average, and that was with a schedule heavy with advanced placement classes.

Next, he was represented by the Houston-based agents Randy and Alan Hendricks. They get deals done, and for big bucks. Their stable includes Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Joba Chamberlain, Clayton Kershaw, Homer Bailey, and Rick Porcello. The brothers got Cuban lefty Aroldis Chapman a six-year deal worth $30.25M. They can play hardball.

And they did. He signed for $6.5M, the highest bonus ever given to a high school player and more than $3M above slot; Donavan Tate held the previous record of $6.25M from the Padres in 2009. Taillon's bonus is bettered only by Stephen Strasburg's $7.5M deal with the Nationals in 2009 (Bryce Harper got a bigger MLB contract, but his bonus was $6.25M).

And with his scouting report, it's no wonder. He's thought to be the best high school arm scouts have seen in the last few years. Taillon has the complete package for a preppie, with projectable size, and three plus pitches in his fastball, slider and curve, and a decent, if rusty, change. He's seen as a potential ace by most scouts.

And impressive as his stuff is, his makeup might be even better. Taillon has a good feel and presence on the mound, and wants to learn the little things. He was quoted as looking to improve his fastball command, his change, and pick up the ins and outs of pitching sequences to hitters.

His scouting report:

Fastball: He consistently sits in the 93-96 MPH range, and has touched 99. His heater appears to rise on hitters. It's explosive, and is already a plus pitch that could be plus-plus down the line.

His go-to pitch is a four-seam fastball, and he throws a two-seamer which has been clocked between 89-93 MPH with a lot of run.

Taillon sometimes has trouble keeping his fastball down in the zone, and the pitch will also flatten out at times, leaving it hittable.

Curveball - It comes in on the same plane as his fastball, and looks like a high heater out of his hand. It's a potential strikeout pitch both as a swing-and-miss offering and dropping into the zone with a 12-to-6 break. It's got nice separation from the heater; he throws it at 82-84 MPH, though he's also shown a slow curve in the seventies.

He gives it away sometimes, when he occasionally raises his arm slot slightly when throwing the hook.

Slider — Although it's also a plus pitch, the slider is a little behind his curveball. The pitch breaks hard left, but sometimes doesn't have much dive to it, almost like flipping a Frisbee. It's a great pitch in high school, coming in hard at the mid-to-high 80s, and could be another swing-and-miss offering at the pro level if he can get its command up another notch.

The pitch could use a little more consistency, as there are times you can spot the break soon after release before it bites.

Changeup - He has a circle change that was rarely called for at his level, and it's a solid if not overwhelming pitch at this point. He maintains his arm speed well and it's clocked 8-12 mph slower than his fastball with fading action, and it's a pitch he'll need at the next level.

Most high school kids don't have much command of this pitch, and he overthrows it sometimes.

Motion - Taillon throws at a 3/4 arm angle. His wind up and delivery have a lot of moving parts, as he starts out slowly while he lifts his front leg and then explodes. But the ball comes out of his hand easily and there's no hitch in his arm, so that doesn't seem to be a concern. The staff will have to clean up his landing, as he falls off the hill dramatically.

His body control and the repeatability of his mechanics are smooth, a rarity in a high schooler with such a big body. Sometimes Taillon can get a little jerky delivering the ball, but there aren't red flags on the arm action outside of flashing the ball some; generally he hides it well. The staff will have to work on his one bad habit of sometimes rushing his delivery.

Taillon's pitch placement lags behind his ball-and-strike control. He's generally able to get the ball over the plate, but he doesn't always hit the glove; he's used to overpowering high school hitters. JT can throw his ball to both sides of the plate, but he's more accurate to his arm side.

Overall, a pretty clean report on a big kid who's a stereotypical Texas power pitcher and who is often compared to Josh Beckett, his favorite MLB pitcher.

Citing the path taken by Beckett (who was also a #2 overall pick in 1999), Taillon has a goal of being in the show by his 21st birthday. To reach it, the right-hander would have to be in Pittsburgh by the end of the 2012 season.

While the Pirates and their fans would love to see that scenario play out, the first step for Taillon on his way to the show is through State College. He'll observe the pro life there for a couple of weeks and get to work with minor league pitching coordinator Jim Benedict.

Next will come the Pirates' fall instructional league. And as for 2011, Taillon will likely begin his season in the low Class A West Virginia rotation, though a stint in State College is possible, too.

Off the field, Taillon volunteers his time on the weekends to the Challenger baseball program that offers children with special needs the opportunities to be involved in organized baseball, much like our local Miracle League. He also enjoys playing the guitar, fishing, and hangin' with his buds, your pretty typical teen stuff.

Except mall crawling is a lot more fun with $6.5M to spend at the CD shop.

AAA Call-Up Shuts Down Bucs

The first three innings went by quickly. Paul Maholm was dealing progressive; a perfect first, a single in the second, and a single and walk in the third. AAA call up Alex Sanabia was dishing better; he allowed one single during that span.

In the fourth, Pedro showed off his rifle to get the last out. He dove for a ball hit up the line, made the snag, and threw out Cody Ross from his knees in foul territory, preserving a 1-2-3 inning for Maholm.

Neil Walker gave the fans their first thrill when he drove one deep to right, but Mike Stanton picked it off the wall for a loud out. It was a 0-0 game after four.

The pitchers both sat down the order in the fifth. Maholm had faced three batters over the minimum, Sanabia, one more than the minimum.

But for Bucco pitchers, the sixth inning is an abyss that they just can't cross. A leadoff walk, single, and Gaby Sanchez blast - and it was a shot, landing in the Pirate bullpen beyond the Notch - made it 3-0.

It got uglier. Another single was erased on an around-the-horn DP, but a double, two singles, and a hit batter - the pitcher Sanabia - brought in a run and the hook. Sean Gallagher came in and struck out Emilio Bonifacio.

For Maholm, his line was 5-2/3 frames pitched, giving up eight hits, four runs, two walks and two K's. The Pirates tried in the sixth, hitting two balls to the track then ending the frame when McCutch was robbed on a play in the hole by Bonifacio. Same result as three K's, though - nada.

Wil Ledezema apparently didn't learn much by watching Maholm; he walked the first batter and wild-pitched him to second. But unlike PM, he bore down and got a K and two pops to escape unscathed.

The Pirates got a leadoff single from Jose Tabata, who promptly got doubled off first after a Walker line out. Jones K'ed, and the Bucs went down meekly again. Daniel McCutchen pitched a clean eighth; the Pirates were down to six outs.

They used up the first two before getting on the board with back-to-back doubles by Chris Snyder and Argenis Diaz, his second knock of the night. Snyder's was catchable, but a diving Logan Morrison forgot to drop his glove, and it got past him to the wall.

Clay Hensley took the hill, and struck out Delwyn Young on a ball in the dirt that got away from the catcher, a throw 'em out whiff. Sanabia gave up four hits and a run without a walk and with five K's in 7-2/3 innings.

Joel Hanrahan came out to get a little work, and set down the Fish. The Bucs took their last shot with the top of the order against closer Leo Nunez.

McCutch got it off to a good start when he lined a shot into the left field seats. With one out, Walker singled, bring up Jones and Pedro as tying runs. Nunez struck them both out swinging, showing the duo nothing but 96 MPH fastballs. It was mano a mano, and Nunez won hands down.

Well, now we know this; the Pirates can't beat a AAA pitcher. Heck, they couldn't beat the King and His Court the way they're swing the sticks right now. Maybe they should sign Pedro Cerrano and let him sacrifice a chicken to the baseball gods. Couldn't hurt, hey?

The Mets series will open tomorrow night with Jeff Karstens taking on Mike Pelfrey.

-- Ronny Cedeno is still out. He could be ready as soon as tomorrow, but more likely the weekend, as he made it through BP today.

-- The Pirates were supposed to see Sean West today, but his knee blew up and he was put on the DL. Alex Sanabia, who started in AA, had a couple of starts in the bigs, and was sent down to AAA, was recalled to replace him in the rotation.

-- Jameson Taillon was introduced to the media mob today; he and the suits had the predictable lovefest. He told the press hounds what he wanted to work on: fastball command, developing a more effective change, and learning the ins and outs of pitching sequences to hitters.

Taillon did mention that he throws a "spiked" curve, a sort of knuckle-curve. It's comparable somewhat to Mike Mussina's hook, with a little more velocity and a little less break. And he confirmed his itinerary - off to State College for the rest of their year to get acclimated and do some bullpen tossing, then to the Instructional League.

He added that he always felt a deal was going to be worked out; he claimed the hardest part of negotiations was not playing ball for ten weeks while waiting for the final contract.

-- The Pirates officially announced the signing of Luis Heredia about twelve hours after Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette broke the story. Heredia and his parents were at PNC, snapping photos like Japanese tourists.

-- Stetson Allie says he likes closing; the Pirates want him to start. And for $2.25M, who can blame them? Actually, Allie said he's cool with either role. Let's just hope he doesn't follow the Daniel Moskos path.

Nice trio of pitchers - Heredia, 16, tops out at 94; Taillon, 18, has hit 99, and Allie, 19, has touched 102. Some true power arms there; now to see if they harness their heat and become pitchers.

It's Taillon

The Bucs took high school fireballer Jameson Taillon with the second pick of the draft tonight, right after the Nats nabbed Bryce Harper.

Taillon was universally considered the best high school pitcher in the draft, and maybe the best arm available, end of story. He went 8-1 with a 1.78 ERA, striking out 114 batters and walking 21 in 62-2/3 innings of work during the season. In March, he struck out 19 in a no-hit win.

He pitched in two high school All-American games, and led the USA Baseball 18-and-under national team to its first gold medal in the Pan American under-18 games last fall. In the championship win over Cuba, Taillon tossed shutout ball and struck out 16 batters in 7-2/3 innings, setting a Team USA single-game record for whiffs.

The RHP is a big kid (6-7, 230 pounds), from The Woodlands HS of Houston, Texas, Kyle Drabek's alma mater. The 18 year-old has a power combo, with a mid-nineties heater and a mid-to-high eighties slider. He also has a curve and changeup. The first three pitches are considered plus pitches, and his change is above average for his level.

Another selling point is his makeup; his poise and work ethic are considered outstanding for a teen.

The MLB Scouting report is "Taillon is the complete package in a high school pitcher, with tremendous size, stuff and a feel for pitching. He's got three plus pitches in his fastball, slider and curve."

"Even his changeup, while not used that much, is solid. He uses his size to his advantage and has tremendous mound presence. As impressive as his stuff is, his makeup might be even better."

The only downside is that Taillon likes to work outside; he'll have to learn to use both sides of the plate, but that's not thought to be a problem. We've also heard that some scouts think he may end up a closer with his stuff, while others consider him a potential staff workhorse because of the load he's carried so far.

The Pirates obviously think he's top-of-the-rotation material to draft him so highly, not a bullpen back-ender.

He's healthy and his only mechanical issue is a tendency to rush his delivery, which is considered an easily correctable flaw once he's coached up some.

The big guy, because of his power and size, is projected by some scouts to make his MLB debut after just a couple of seasons in the minors (which sounds pretty aggressive to us), so sometime in 2013 could be his arrival date at PNC if that holds true. We'll take that with a grain of salt; he is only 18 (BD 11/18/91).

Taillon made a college commitment to Rice, and that's a big-time program to use as leverage against the Pirates if contract talks get sticky.

The Hendrick brothers represent him, and while they may not be the devil incarnate, they did recently negotiate a record $30.25M contract with the Reds for 21 year-old Cuban flamethrower Aroldis Chapman, so they can play hardball for their clients, too. It's safe to assume they're looking for Pedro money, if not more.

An interesting choice, given the fizzle rate of top high school picks, and especially so when State College is going to have a rotation that consists entirely of 2009 high-school draftees, all taken in the top eight rounds.

Huntington admitted to MLB Network during a post-selection interview that the team knows the risk involved, but they couldn't pass up Taillon's "big arm."

Let's hope a couple of last year's pups and Jameson Taillon can beat the odds and match the hype.

-- BTW, the other two guys high on Pittsburgh's board were snapped up quickly. SS Manny Machado went to Baltimore as the third pick, and LHP Drew Pomeranz was selected fifth by the Indians. So there were no reaches this year.

The Big Three

The draft is just around the corner, and here's the three guys the Bucs have reportedly zeroed in on:

-- LHP Drew Pomeranz, 20, a junior from Ol' Miss with a three-pitch repertoire and a rubber arm. Pomeranz, 6-5, 230, has two out pitches, a low nineties fastball that sets up his curve, said to be his best pitch, and he has a changeup.

Pomeranz had an 8-2, 2.21 ERA season and was the Southeastern Conference's Pitcher of the Year. He's considered a guy that can reach the bigs in a hurry. Pomeranz should provide good value as an inning-eating #3 starter with a shot at #2 upside.

The Pirates should have a thick file on him after drafting Ol' Miss teammates Nathan Baker and Phillip Irwin last year,and were said to be interested in him while he was in high school in Tennessee. GW considers him as the front-runner.

-- 6-7, 225 pound RHP Jameson Taillon, from The Woodlands HS, Texas, has a fastball that hits the mid-to-upper 90s, and is thought to be the best pitcher, stuff wise, in the draft with a chance to be an ace. He throws a fastball, slider and curve, and is said to have a serviceable changeup. They must be OK; he's got 96 Ks in 47 innings.

Taillon's only black mark is his command, and learning to work inside. He's 18 and made a commitment to Rice. A HS arm is always a risk, especially this high in the draft. His agents are the Hendricks brothers.

-- High school SS Manny Machado, 17, from Miami Brito HS, Florida, led Team USA in hitting last summer and batted .642 with 12 homers, 56 RBI and 17 steals in 27 games now.

He could be moved, as he has a big (6-2, 180), lean body that may outgrow short; keeping his weight down will determine his position. Machado has all five tools, and so could transition to third or a corner OF spot easily.

MM verbally committed to Florida International. Machado is represented by Scott Boras, so his signability could be an issue. A big issue.

The draft schedule:
-- Monday, June 7th (7PM) - Round 1
-- Tuesday, June 8th (noon) - Rounds 2-30
-- Wednesday, June 9th (noon) - Rounds 31-50