History of Jameson Taillon in Timeline

Jameson Taillon is a professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Chicago Cubs in MLB. He previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees. Taillon's MLB career has been marked by both promise and resilience as he has overcome several challenges to establish himself as a reliable starting pitcher.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1999: Compared to Josh Beckett

Prior to the 2010 MLB draft, Fangraphs called Jameson Taillon the best high school pitching prospect since Josh Beckett in 1999.

November 2009: Signed Letter of Intent with Rice University

In November 2009, Jameson Taillon signed a National Letter of Intent with Rice University, which posed a challenge to the Pirates in their effort to sign him.

March 23, 2010: 19-strikeout no-hitter

On March 23, 2010, Jameson Taillon threw a 19-strikeout no-hitter against Conroe High School during his senior year at The Woodlands High School.

2010: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates

In 2010, Jameson Taillon was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the second overall pick in the MLB draft and signed with them, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus.

2010: Faced Noah Syndergaard in MLB Debut

On June 8, 2016, Jameson Taillon made his MLB debut for the Pirates against fellow 2010 first-rounder Noah Syndergaard, throwing 6 innings and giving up 3 runs. He did not receive a decision in the eventual 6-5 loss.

April 27, 2011: Professional debut with West Virginia Power

On April 27, 2011, Jameson Taillon made his professional debut with the West Virginia Power against the Hagerstown Suns after joining the team on April 24.

August 2012: Promotion to Altoona Curve

In August 2012, Jameson Taillon was promoted to the Altoona Curve. During the week of August 20-26, 2012, he was named the Eastern League pitcher of the week.

2013: Participated in the World Baseball Classic

In 2013, Jameson Taillon participated in the World Baseball Classic for Team Canada, and was the youngest member of the team at age 21.

April 2014: Underwent Tommy John Surgery

In April 2014, Jameson Taillon underwent Tommy John surgery to repair damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm, causing him to miss the 2014 season.

2015: Missed season due to hernia surgery

Jameson Taillon missed the 2015 season due to a hernia surgery.

2016: Hit in the head by a batted ball

During July 2016, Jameson Taillon was hit in the head by a batted ball, but continued to play for Pittsburgh for the remainder of the 2016 season.

2016: First MLB Win

On June 14, 2016, Jameson Taillon made his second start against the Mets, throwing 8 scoreless innings and carrying a no-hitter into the seventh, earning his first win in the 4-0 victory.

May 8, 2017: Underwent Surgery for Testicular Cancer

On May 8, 2017, Jameson Taillon underwent surgery for testicular cancer, which involved the removal of one testicle.

2017: Starting Rotation and Cancer Diagnosis

In 2017, Jameson Taillon was in the Pirates' starting rotation but was placed on the disabled list in May and underwent surgery for testicular cancer.

2018: Tied for Major League Lead in Complete Games

In the 2018 season, Jameson Taillon tied for the major league lead in complete games with two.

August 2, 2019: Season cut short due to injury

On August 2, 2019, Jameson Taillon's season was cut short due to a forearm injury, and he was shut down for the remainder of the season.

2019: Cancer-Free

As of 2019, Jameson Taillon was cancer-free.

2020: No Appearances

Jameson Taillon did not make an appearance in the 2020 season.

January 24, 2021: Traded to the New York Yankees

On January 24, 2021, Jameson Taillon was traded by the Pirates to the New York Yankees.

June 2, 2022: Perfect Game Bid Broken Up

On June 2, 2022, Jameson Taillon pitched seven perfect innings against the Los Angeles Angels, but the bid was broken up by a Jared Walsh double in the eighth inning.

December 19, 2022: Signed with the Chicago Cubs

On December 19, 2022, Jameson Taillon signed a four-year deal worth $68 million with the Chicago Cubs.

2023: Pitched for the Cubs

In 2023, Jameson Taillon appeared in 30 games for the Chicago Cubs, with 29 of them being starts, and recorded an ERA of 4.84.

March 12, 2024: Injured List

On March 12, 2024, Cubs manager Craig Counsell informed reporters that Jameson Taillon would likely start the 2024 season on the injured list with lower back tightness.