September 18, 2024

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Getting the start for the Canadian Futures Showcase can be a nerve-wracking experience, although right-hander Aiden Taggart (Grimsby, Ont.) handled the pressure with ease.

By the time I had gotten down to the field to take pictures of him for the article during his warmup, he and his teammates were already off the field before I made it back to the elevators.

“I think the outing went well,” said Taggart, speaking to the Canadian Baseball Network. “The number one goal for a pitcher is to go out and throw strikes and set the team up for a win, and I think I put that together well today. It was a formula for success.”

It took Taggart just 14 pitches to get out of the first inning, producing a ground ball for his first out and shutting down the door with two strikeouts. Taggart sat in the low 90s with his sinker and was mixing in a high 70s curveball to keep hitters off balance. Both of the first inning strikeouts came on the sinker.

The second inning was similar to the first inning but only in reverse – Taggart produced two more strikeouts, one via swinging strikeout and the other a called third strike, before finishing the inning with a ground ball to third base. This only took Taggart nine pitches to get through the second, giving him enough room to come out for the third inning of the game.

Continuing to put together a strong outing, Taggart began the top of the third with another swinging K, with a high sinker sitting down the opposing Team Navy batter. The right-hander would then get two more ground outs, both to the shortstop, to finish out the inning and the game for Taggart.

For the day, the Ontario product pitched to a 70.6% strike rate and punched out five batters with zero hits, walks, and runs allowed while facing the minimum nine batters. Taggart also mixed in a high-70s changeup during his three innings of work, with Team Red carrying a no-hitter until the top of the sixth inning. For his efforts, he earned the Player of the Game honour.

“To play here, there is nothing better,” said Taggart. “The atmosphere here is top notch and it means a lot to pitch and play here, just against the premier talent across Canada. Nothing better than this.”

Taggart is no stranger to the big stages, as the Fieldhouse Pirates hurler has appeared at the Rogers Centre before. He pitched for Team Black last year in the Canadian Futures Showcase and allowed just one hit and one walk through two innings, while also registering three strikeouts. He would later be named to the Prospects Game roster.

Aiden Taggart (Grimsby, Ont.) is also a Junior National Team veteran. Photo: Baseball Canada

At the international level, Taggart most recently suited up for the Junior National Team program at the 2024 WBSC Americas Pan American Championship in Panama where he made one appearance against the Dominican Republic and held them to one run on four hits, while striking out three, in three innings.

Outside of the Pan American Championships, Taggart has also donned the maple leaf for the Dominican Pro Academy Camp, the Extended Spring Training Camp, and the Dominican Fall Instructional League dating back to last fall.

“Pitching in Panama earlier this summer, it was a real dream come true,” said Taggart. “I have a lot of pride when I represent Canada and to do so at the Pan Am tournament was next level. It was a really cool atmosphere and environment to pitch in. That team ground out every at-bat, every pitch, and while we didn’t get the result we wanted, it was a great tournament.”

A 2025 graduate, Taggart committed to the University of Utah to play under skipper Gary Henderson last year and will be taking his talents to the Big 12 Conference, as the program is moving on from the Pac-12 starting next summer.

With impressive feats at the showcase(s), with the Junior National Team, and with the Pirates, Taggart is putting himself on the radar of MLB scouts as he becomes eligible for the draft next summer and will have to overcome the pressure that comes with that attention heading into next year.

“Next year is a big for me and I am going into it with the mentality of the MLB Draft on my mind,” said Taggart. “I am going to continue working on my craft, getting in the gym and getting stronger, continue to work on my secondary pitches, and become just a more refined pitcher. If the summer rolls by and I don’t hear my name called, then I am all the more ready for Utah and the challenges that lie ahead. They have a great program there and I could not be more excited for what lies ahead.”