Blake Taylor #62

Graduated from Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, CA in 2013...went 2-3 with a 2.57 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 11 games as a senior...was a 2013 Rawlings Third-Team All-American and a California All-Region First-Team selection...Blake's hometown of Dana Point is considered a mecca for surfers and whale watchers, and hosts an annual Festival of Whales every spring...Taylor grew up SCUBA diving in those waters and dreamed of being a Navy SEAL...Blake's father is from England, which allowed him to play for Team Great Britain in the 2016 World Baseball Classic...the family grew up with British traditions and eating British fair, with Blake saying the family drinks a lot of tea and eats a lot of curry...Was committed to play at the University of Hawaii, but opted to play professionally after being selected by the Pirates in the second round of the 2013 MLB Draft...signed by Pirates scout Brian Tracy...Spent one season in the Pirates system before being traded to New York (NL) as part of the return for IF Ike Davis...would pitch another six years in the Mets system before being added to their 40-man roster on Nov. 4, 2019...Earned that addition after a standout 2019 campaign, in which he transitioned to a relief role...had worked as a starter for his first six minor league seasons (2013-18)...Traded to the Astros on Dec. 5, 2019...Houston also received 19-year old OF Kenedy Corona in the deal that sent OF Jake Marisnick to the Mets.

2020

Made his MLB debut with Houston and became an important member of Houston’s bullpen...made his first-career OPENING DAY roster and spent the entire season in the Astros bullpen, aside from a 10-day IL stint (elbow soreness)...Among AL rookie relievers, ranked ninth in appearances, sixth in ERA and seventh in opponent average (.173)...posted MLB’s sixth-best average exit velocity on batted balls (83 mph)...Was equally effective against both right-handed and left-handed hitters...held lefties to a .532 OPS and a .171 (6x35) batting average...held righties to a .598 OPS and a .175 (7x40) batting average...Began his Major League career with six scoreless relief outings, becoming one of seven pitchers in club history to do so...Made his MLB debut on July 24 vs. SEA with a perfect eighth inning of relief...became the first Astros pitcher to make his MLB debut on Opening Day since Wesley Wright in 2008 at SD...On Aug. 17 vs. COL, earned his first-career save, working around a leadoff walk to Charlie Blackmon with a scoreless ninth inning...Was on the Astros POSTSEASON rosters for all three rounds, but only pitched in the ALDS and ALCS, going 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA (1ER/5.2IP) with four strikeouts in eight games...was scoreless over his first five postseason appearances.

2019

Combined to post a 2-3 record with a 2.16 ERA (16ER/66.2IP), 10 saves 24 walks and 74 strikeouts in 40 games across three levels of the Mets minor league system...was his first season spent exclusively as a relief pitcher...began the year at Class A Advanced St. Lucie, where he was named a Florida State League Midseason All-Star...went 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA (8ER/27.1IP) in 21 games...was promoted to Double A Binghamton on June 10...posted a 0-1 record with a 1.85 ERA (8ER/39IP) and 45 strikeouts in 18 games with Binghamton...received a promotion to Triple A for his final outing of the season on Sept. 1...pitched for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League...went 0-1 with a 2.00 ERA (2ER/9IP) and 11 strikeouts in seven games...was traded to the Astros on Dec. 5 along with OF Kenedy Corona in exchange for OF Jake Marisnick.