Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospects Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon were named to the Florida State League mid-season All-Star team today. The game will take place in Port Charlotte, Florida on Saturday, June 16.
Cole has a 2.47 ERA in 51 innings pitched this year, with a 50:15 K/BB ratio. He’s been on a hot streak lately, with a 1.32 ERA and a 27:9 K/BB ratio in 34 innings over his last six starts. That ERA ranks eighth in all of minor league baseball over that time frame. Coming into today, Cole ranks fifth in the Florida State League in ERA, second in WHIP (1.04), first among starting pitchers in batting average against (.208) and third in fewest baserunners per 9.0 innings pitched (9.71).
Taillon has a 3.29 ERA in 52 innings, with a 48:15 K/BB ratio. He’s only had two starts this season where he’s given up more than two earned runs, with those starts coming in two of his last three outings. He has the second-lowest batting average against (.214) among Florida State League starting pitchers, and enters today tied for 10th in the Florida State League in strikeouts and fifth among the league’s starting pitchers in fewest baserunners per 9.0 innings pitched (10.21) and WHIP (1.08).
