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Jameson Taillon 2019 Outlook: The Next Fantasy Ace
6 years agoJameson Taillon’s numbers from 2018 jump off the page and cement his status as a budding fantasy ace. Over 191 innings, Taillon posted an ERA of 3.20, a 2.17 BB/9 mark, and finally, allowed less than a homer per nine innings. Some owners will look at the 8.43 K/9 as a negative, but in the context of his development, this was right in line with a strong 2017 campaign, so no reason for red flags as he is still getting batters out at a stable rate. 2018 also showed some changes in pitch mix as Taillon added a slider, throwing it 18.9% of the time, and accordingly saw his swinging-strike rate jump to 10.7% from the previous year’s 8.2%. While owners do not know if this is related to the slider alone, the change can only mean good things moving forward in terms of approaching hitters and sustaining the breakout 2018 campaign. Adding to all the other gains, Taillon also showed his durability with 191 innings in 2018, a career-high for his time in professional baseball. Entering 2019 Taillon is a top-20 starting pitching option, with an SP2 floor, but the upside of an SP1. If he can add even a K/9, then Taillon will be one of the most valuable pitchers based on where he is being drafted now (63).
