July 9, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; USA team pitcher Taijuan Walker (44) delivers a pitch in the seventh inning of the 2012 All Star Futures Game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Mariners have promoted 21 year old pitching prospect Taijuan Walker to the majors, the team announced Wednesday night. Walker, a former first round pick, was ranked as one of the best prospects in baseball heading into his third full professional season, coming up at #7 on our preseason top 100 prospect list. He also reached #9 on Keith Law’s preseason list, where he was described as, “He’s one of the most athletic pitchers in the minors.”
6’4 with plus velocity and a solid curve and changeup, Walker cruised through AA this year, posting a 2.46 ERA through 14 starts before receiving a call up to AAA Tacoma. There, as the youngest player in the PCL, the pitcher struck out an impressive 10 batters per nine innings, leading to a 5-3 record and a 3.61 ERA.
He is more poised and polished on the mound than most pitchers his age, but this promotion is still a tad perplexing. While he logged effective innings in AAA, Walker could certainly use more time to reign in his control and 4.0 BB/9, and with the Mariners 18.5 games back, he can’t exactly aid their playoff chances.
On the brightside, this will give Walker a chance to work with what the Mariners hope will be his battery mate for years to come. Catcher Mike Zunino, the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, is expected to return from the disabled list in the next couple list. He played adequately for a month before his injury, making this a duo Mariners fans can cling to for years to come.