Taijuan Walker
| Taijuan Walker | |
|---|---|
| Seattle Mariners – No. 27 | |
| Starting pitcher | |
|
Born: August 13, 1992 Shreveport, Louisiana | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| August 30, 2013 for the Seattle Mariners | |
| Career statistics (through 2013 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 1–0 |
| Earned run average | 3.60 |
| Strikeouts | 12 |
| Teams | |
| |
Taijuan Emmanuel Walker (born August 13, 1992) is a professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball. Walker was listed as one of the Top 10 prospects for the 2011 season, ranked 4th according to Baseball America.[1] Prior to the 2012 season, he was ranked the second best prospect in the Mariners organization and the 20th best overall.[2][3]
Professional career
On June 7, 2010, Walker was drafted in the first round, with the 43rd overall selection, by the Seattle Mariners.[4] Walker and the Mariners agreed to a deal that included an $800,000 signing bonus.[5] He made four appearances for the Rookie League AZL Mariners, all in relief, and went 1–1 with a 1.29 earned run average (ERA). He was named to appear in the 2012 All-Star Futures Game.[6]
After he pitched to a 5-3 win-loss record and a 3.61 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 57 1⁄3 innings pitched for the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, the Mariners promoted Walker on August 30, 2013.[7] Walker pitched 5 innings against the Houston Astros, and yielded just 2 hits and struck out 2.
Scouting report
He throws a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a curveball, and a changeup.[8][9] He has also begun to develop a cut fastball.[10]
Personal
Walker's father is black, and his mother is half-Mexican and half-white. His parents divorced when he was young, and he helped care for his younger siblings.[11]
References
- ↑ http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2011/2611021.html Organization Top 10 prospects: Seattle Mariners 2011
- ↑ http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2012/2612843.html Seattle Mariners top 2012 prospects
- ↑ http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2012/2612998.html 2012 Top 100 Prospects
- ↑ "M’s Select RHP Taijuan Walker with #43". U.S.S. Mariner (Jay Yencich). 7 June 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ↑ "Mariners sign top pick RHP Taijuan Walker". usatoday.com (USA Today). 18 June 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ↑ http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120620&content_id=33663130&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
- ↑ Thorpe, Jacob (August 28, 2013). "Top prospect Walker to make first MLB start on Friday". MLB.com. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
- ↑ Anderson, Mark (January 18, 2012). "Scouting Report: Taijuan Walker (RHP)". Baseball Prospect Nation. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ↑ "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Taijuan Walker". Brooks Baseball. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ↑ Laurila, David (December 14, 2012). "Q&A: Taijuan Walker, High-Ceiling Mariner". Fangraphs. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/news/seattle-pitching-phenom-taijuan-walker-is-everything-baseball-needs--and-more-134626423.html
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Profile at MiLB.com
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