The Indianapolis Indians pitching duo of Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow could be joining former Indianapolis Indian Gerrit Cole with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the near future.
According to MLB Pipeline writer Jonathan Mayo, Taillon and Glasnow are the top-pitching duo in the minor leagues.
It must be said that analyzing prospects and picking top duos is subjective – it’s about how one person looks at stats compared to another. For example, another MLB Pipeline writer Jim Callis chose the Colorado Rockies’ Jon Gray and Eddie Butler.
Taillon and Glasnow were selected in the top 30 prospects on MLB.com’s 2014 Prospect Top 100 list. Tallion was ranked No. 16 and Glasnow was No. 27.
In the 2010 Draft, Tallion was the No. 2 overall pick between the Washington Nationals Bryce Harper and Baltimore Orioles Manny Machado.
The 2013 season, for Taillon, was spent between the Indians and the Double-A Altoona Curve. With both teams, he had a 5-10 record in 26 appearances. He struck out 143 batters, but gave up as many hits with an ERA of 3.73.
Taillon’s arsenal of pitches includes a mid-90s fastball as well as a curveball and changeup.
In 2013, Glasnow was just 19 years old and spent the season with Class-A West Virginia, where he led all Pirates Minor League pitchers in strikeouts with 164.
Glasnow was drafted in 2011 and is still developing his pitches, which include a mid-90s fastball, a curveball and changeup.
Both Taillon and Glasnow, according to Mayo, have the potential to have three above-average or better pitches when they reach the Majors.