White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor can bring the heat; now it’s time to fine-tune his arsenal

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Throwing 100 mph is no longer a big deal.

Eighty-two major-league pitchers threw at least one pitch at 100 mph or faster in 2025, a season that saw more than 50,000 pitches clocked at 98 mph or higher.

One hundred forty minor-league pitchers touched 100 mph, too, according to Baseball America, so there’s more heat on the way.

White Sox right-hander Grant Taylor, who made his spring debut with a dominant and efficient inning of high-octane work Monday against the Rockies, entrenched himself in the 100-mph club with 37 pitches in triple digits last season, including one at 102.2 on June 22 at Toronto on the way to the first of his six saves.

The fastball is quite the weapon for Taylor, even when upper-90s and triple-digit heat isn’t rattling hitters the way it used to. Hitters are timing the not-so-rare-anymore velocity with rising competence. Therein lies the emphasis on equally valuable — or even more valuable — tools for pitchers: fastball command and keeping hitters off-balance.

Taylor, 23, has known this for some time.

‘‘Nowadays, the best starters and relievers throw 100-plus, but every single one of the best starters has five or six pitch mixes,’’ Taylor told the Sun-Times on Monday. ‘‘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.

‘‘[Tigers ace Tarik] Skubal hit 103 last year, and he’s still got a great pitch mix. Velo in short stints can carry you through an outing. But for long-term success, you need some other pitches.’’

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 left-handers.

Drafted in the second round out of LSU in 2023, Taylor posted a 1.01 ERA in 15 outings last season at Double-A Birmingham before breaking into the majors. He made 36 appearances with the Sox (34 of them in relief) and posted an unremarkable 4.91 ERA. But he struck out 54 batters and walked 15 in 36⅔ innings and finished well, allowing no runs in his last 10 outings.

Starting might be in Taylor’s future — that’s his desire — but he will earn his big-league chops in the back of the Sox’ bullpen for now, likely with multi-inning assignments. He pitched a perfect inning Monday, striking out two Rockies and throwing 10 of his 12 pitches for strikes. Three pitches hit 100 mph and two others 99.6 and 99.9.

Taylor’s live batting-practice sessions have been must-see events early in camp. He didn’t disappoint last week, striking our four consecutive batters and breaking teammate Andrew Benintendi’s bat.

‘‘It’s gross,’’ Benintendi said of Taylor’s arsenal. ‘‘He has the 100-plus fastball, but he’s worked on some stuff in the offseason that will make him even more effective.’’

For all of the positive vibes simmering around shortstop Colson Montgomery’s rookie breakthrough last season, a promising young catching core and the signing of free-agent Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, whether general manager Chris Getz’s rebuild can emerge from the muck of three consecutive 100-loss seasons largely hinges on quality pitching depth.

The master plan envisions Taylor being part of a contending staff, perhaps in the starting rotation with lefty prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, who are expected to make their big-league debuts this season.

‘‘We’ve had conversations about how that might play out in the future, but at this time I’m solely focused on doing the best I can in the pen,’’ Taylor said.

‘‘Any innings in the big leagues are fun. I enjoyed [the bullpen] last year, and I anticipate I’ll enjoy it again this year.’’