Yankees Land RHP Jameson Taillon In Trade With Pirates

The New York Yankees have been all over the place in rumors, but they finally land their guy in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-handed pitcher Jameson Taillon.

Ton of upside in the 27-year-old that’s dealt with injuries the past couple years. Overall, nice pick up for the Bombers.

Jame Changer. @JTaillon50 pic.twitter.com/mNkoUyyrFT

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) January 24, 2021

Here’s the details on the move:

The New York Yankees announced today that they have acquired RHP Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Roansy Contreras, INF Maikol Escotto, OF Canaan Smith, and RHP Miguel Yajure.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) January 24, 2021

Outside of RHP Miguel Yajure, who ranks just 15th on the Yankees’ top prospect list, New York didn’t give up much. This deal potentially could look a lot like Gerrit Cole’s when Pittsburgh couldn’t figure out how to use him.

Taillon was drafted No. 2 overall, so clearly he has the upside of a big-game starter that the Yankees will now attempt to unlock.

The Yankees are adding Jameson Taillon and his nasty curveball to their rotation pic.twitter.com/xEQZ5W4fLX

— Pitcher List (@PitcherList) January 24, 2021

As you can see, Taillon has an ace’s breaking ball that routinely misses bats. In a game where power hitters are this prevalent–it pays to have stuff to prevent hitters from putting balls in play at all.

Also helps that Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole are close friends since their days together in Pittsburgh. Taillon survived cancer in 2017 and Cole had plenty to say about his new teammate’s toughness:

Jameson Taillon survived cancer in 2017.

Here's what Gerrit Cole said about Taillon's toughness at the time ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/UizKb5PV61

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) January 24, 2021

Will this be a “game-changing” move?

For right now, no. Like former Yankees’ left-hander James Paxton, Taillon deals with injuries what feels like every year and he needs to figure out how to stay on the field. If he can do that, his numbers alone show the Yankees could be landing a high-value piece to a championship team.

Injury history is about the only way you acquire a pitcher with a career 3.67 ERA without giving up a haul in the deal. A player to watch for sure.