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Mariners fans, the savior to your season is here.
Or at least someone who will make at least every fifth game a must-watch.
The Mariners called up top pitching prospect Taijuan Walker on Wednesday in anticipation of his first major league start in Houston on Friday. Walker will be just 21 years, 17 days old the day of his MLB debut, making him the fifth-youngest starter in Seattle Mariners history. Felix Hernandez is the youngest player to start a game for the Mariners.
Walker, who will wear 27, will be added to the official 25-man roster on Friday. The 2010 number 43 overall draft pick is currently the number four in all of baseball. Walker was named the third best overall pitching prospect after Archie Bradley and Mark Appel by Keith Law of ESPN at the All-Star break. The 6'4, 210-pound righty from Yucaipa, CA has risen quickly through the Mariners' farm system, starting the year in Double-A before he was promoted to Triple-A after 14 starts.
Seattle decided that 11 starts in Triple-A Tacoma was enough time for Walker in Triple-A after he went 5-3 with a 3.61 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched. Walker pitched in both the All-Star Futures game and was selected as a Southern League All-Star.
SBNation's Kenneth Arthur has a great breakdown of Walker's path to the big leagues.