Grant Taylor, a standout pitcher from Florence High School, made a remarkable MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox, impressively throwing a pitch clocked at 101.5 mph. Taking the mound during a crucial seventh inning against the Houston Astros, he efficiently recorded three outs with a 12-pitch inning. Taylor's rise to the big leagues followed exceptional performance in the minor leagues with the Birmingham Barons, where he showcased a formidable earned-run average. His debut reflects years of dedication and aspiration in baseball, further bolstered by supportive crowd energy in Houston.
After 46 minor-league innings, Taylor took over for starter Shane Smith on Tuesday. The right-hander got a flyout from Victor Caratini and a pair of grounders to shortstop by Cam Smith and Jacob Melton in a 12-pitch inning - with 10 being strikes and six reaching at least 100 mph.
'Ever since I was a kid, this is what I've dreamed of doing. It was pretty cool to be able to do it here today. And a good bit of people in the stands and to feel the environment... I'm really happy I walked away with one.'
'The guy just performed so well that he's forced his way up here,' Chicago manager Will Venable said.
Taylor got the call to the big leagues after burying Southern League batters for the Birmingham Barons. He bypassed the Triple-A Charlotte Knights after posting a 1.01 earned-run average in 15 appearances for the Barons.
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