Chris Getz has exciting comparison for White Sox flamethrower Grant Taylor

The 2025 White Sox season was defined by the arrival and development of young talent. While players like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Shane Smith stole the spotlight, White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor was one of the more underrated developments of the season. The White Sox brought Taylor straight to the big leagues from Double-A Birmingham in June, and he immediately made his mark on the team’s bullpen. White Sox General Manager Chris Getz, appearing on the Rekap White Sox podcast earlier this week, spoke about Taylor and provided a lofty comparison. 

“Grant Taylor, I believe, has a chance to be an elite pitcher in this game,” Getz said. “At this point, he’s a reliever for us. What does that mean in the future? Does he become a starter? Perhaps. Time will tell. But in the meantime, he’s in the bullpen. I think he can be in the Mason Miller mold. I do. I think this guy- he’s got elite stuff.” 

Grant Taylor compared to one of baseball's best

Comparing Taylor to an elite late-inning arm like Miller is certainly bold, but you have to love the confidence from Getz, and it’s obvious to anyone watching the talent Taylor has. Those looking at traditional stats would see a 4.91 ERA and be unimpressed, but those looking below the surface would see some elite metrics. Taylor’s 98.7 MPH average fastball velocity ranked in the 97th percentile in baseball, and he generated swings-and-misses at an elite rate. Though Taylor gave up quite a bit of hard contact, most of it was on the ground. His 51.1% ground ball rate was excellent, and his xERA of 2.91 and FIP of 1.42 suggested he was let down by his defense in a big way and a victim of back luck. 

Mason Miller, drafted by the Athletics in the third round in 2021, has emerged as one of the premiere late-inning relievers in baseball the past two years. Much like Taylor, Miller was drafted as a starter and broke into the big leagues as a starter in 2023. An injury motivated the Athletics to move him to the bullpen, and he became the team’s primary closer in 2024. Miller struck out 104 hitters and held opponents to a .160 batting average in 55 appearances in 2024, and followed it up with an even-better .139 average against in 2025. The A’s traded Miller to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline in a deal that included SS Leo De Vries, a consensus top five prospect in baseball. 

Obviously, Miller is the best of the best, so comparing anyone to him is a lofty expectation. But Taylor has all the tools to be in the same category. I have long been of the opinion that the White Sox should try Grant Taylor as a starter first. He started in college and has the stuff to be an ace in Major League Baseball, a kind of upside the White Sox don’t have a ton of in their farm system. But I understand there are concerns about his injury history that may lead to the White Sox taking the safer route. If Taylor’s floor is a good late-inning reliever, it’s not a terrible alternative. 

The White Sox addition of Seranthony Dominguez, as well as the emergence of Jordan Leasure and Mike Vasil will help take some of the pressure off Taylor in 2026. The bullpen, who finished in the bottom third of the league in ERA and contributed to the White Sox losing the most one-run games in the league in 2025, should take a step forward in 2026. 

If Chris Getz’s comparison holds true and Grant Taylor’s luck turns around, it will be a major step toward the White Sox bullpen becoming one of their strengths.