BRADENTON, Fla. -- Jameson Taillon has always taken his training and nutrition seriously, but he gained a new appreciation for the importance of both during his recovery and return from Tommy John surgery.
So when Taillon was approached about representing the Taylor Hooton Foundation, he didn't have to think too much about it. Taillon on Thursday joined 32 other Major Leaguers on the foundation's advisory board, which helps educate young people about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs.
The board includes at least one player from 26 of the 30 Major League clubs. In Pittsburgh, the role was previously held by relievers Mark Melancon and Tony Watson, who remain on the board.

"I thought it was a good fit. That's something I take pride in, as I'm sure a lot of guys do," Taillon said Thursday. "Being able to be a spokesperson for it, being PED-free, encouraging the youth to have a healthy diet, being active -- you don't need to use performance-enhancing drugs to make your appearance or performance any better. I felt like it was a good fit for me. I feel like I embody it pretty well. I'm always watching what I put in my body."
Members of the advisory board participate in public-service ad campaigns, take part in the foundation's activities in their local communities and provide input on the most effective ways to inform the target audience about the dangers of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancers.

For starters, you might see Taillon wearing a shirt that reads, "All me, PED free."
"Whatever we can do to positively promote it," Taillon said.
"We're thrilled to have Jameson join our Advisory Board of Major League players who have stepped up to serve as positive role models," Taylor Hooton Foundation president Donald Hooton Jr. said in a statement. "Our young people today are driven to look their best and millions of middle and high school kids are using appearance and performance-enhancing substances to achieve their goals. We're so proud of the support that Major League Baseball and these elite athletes provide to send a positive message to kids that they, too, can accomplish all of their dreams without the use of drugs."