Sox Pitcher Grant Taylor Brings the Heat, Looks to Refine Arsenal

The young right-hander is introducing a two-seam fastball this spring as he aims to build on a promising 2025 season.

Feb. 24, 2026 at 12:18am

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White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor, who hit 102.2 mph on the radar gun last season, is looking to fine-tune his arsenal this spring by adding a two-seam fastball to go along with his four-seam fastball, curve, slider, cutter, and changeup. The 23-year-old righty made his spring debut on Monday with a dominant one-inning outing, striking out two batters while hitting 100 mph three times. Taylor is part of a promising young core of Sox pitchers, and while starting may be in his future, for now he'll focus on earning his big league chops in the bullpen, likely in multi-inning assignments.

Why it matters

With the rise of 100-mph pitchers across MLB, Taylor's elite velocity is no longer as rare a commodity. To sustain long-term success, he knows he needs to develop a more diverse pitch mix to keep hitters off balance. Adding the two-seam fastball is part of that evolution, as the Sox look to Taylor as a key piece of their pitching staff as they aim to build a contender.

The details

Taylor featured a four-seam fastball, curve, slider, cutter and changeup last season. This spring, he's introducing a two-seam fastball that runs away from lefties. Drafted in the second round by the Sox out of Louisiana State in 2023, Taylor posted a 1.01 ERA in 15 games at Double-A Birmingham last season before breaking into the majors with 36 appearances, 34 of them in relief. He posted a 4.91 ERA but struck out 54 batters while walking 15 in 36 2/3 innings and finished well, allowing no runs on five hits in his last 10 outings.

  • Taylor hit 102.2 mph on the radar gun in his sixth appearance at Toronto on June 22, 2025, when he collected the first of his six saves that season.
  • Taylor made his spring debut with a dominant and efficient one-inning outing against the Rockies on Monday, February 24, 2026.

The players

Grant Taylor

A 23-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Chicago White Sox who hit 102.2 mph on the radar gun last season and is looking to refine his pitch arsenal this spring.

Tarik Skubal

A pitcher who hit 103 mph on the radar gun last year, demonstrating that even with elite velocity, pitchers need a diverse pitch mix for long-term success.

Colson Montgomery

A promising young shortstop for the White Sox who had a breakthrough rookie season in 2025.

Munetaka Murakami

A free agent Japanese slugger signed by the White Sox this offseason.

Chris Getz

The general manager of the Chicago White Sox, who is overseeing the team's rebuild after three straight 100-loss seasons.

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What they’re saying

“Nowadays the best starters and relievers throw 100-plus but every single one of the best starters has five or six pitch mixes. So it shows that the game is adjusting to the velo. The hitters are getting a little better. So you have to have more options to get guys out.”

— Grant Taylor, White Sox Pitcher

“It's gross. He has the 100-plus fastball but he's worked on some stuff in the offseason that will make him even more effective.”

— Andrew Benintendi

What’s next

The White Sox will continue to monitor Taylor's progress this spring as he looks to refine his pitch mix and solidify his role in the bullpen.

The takeaway

Grant Taylor's ability to reach triple digits on the radar gun is no longer a rarity in today's game, so the young White Sox pitcher knows he needs to develop a more diverse arsenal to sustain long-term success. By adding a two-seam fastball this spring, he's taking an important step in that evolution as he aims to become a key part of Chicago's promising pitching staff.