Taylor Tankersley Signs Contract With Florida Marlins
7/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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MIAMI -- The Marlins agreed to terms Friday with first-round draft pick Taylor Tankersley, the left-handed pitcher from the University of Alabama who will be assigned to low Class A Jamestown.
Tankersley, a 6-foot-2, 225-pounder, was the 27th overall pick on June 7. Reportedly, the Vicksburg, Miss., native has agreed to a $1.3 million signing bonus.
In his junior season at Alabama, Tankersley was 2-5 with a 2.00 ERA with four saves. In 20 games, he made seven starts.
The Marlins plan to groom Tankersley as a starter when he begins play at Jamestown in the New York-Penn League.
In Jamestown, Tankersley will join second-round pick, left-hander Jason Vargas from Long Beach State University.
Both Tankersley and Vargas have started and relieved. And while the recent trend in baseball is to move college-groomed pitchers into the Major Leagues months after the draft, the Marlins are not leaning that way. The organization, at least for now, is hoping to bring both lefties along as starters.
This report was provided by MLB.COM and the Florida Marlins Baseball Club.
