Jameson Taillon opens up why Gerrit Cole is the most influential figure in his professional career

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is one of the best pitchers of the current generation. Cole's influence transcends his performance on the mound, evidenced by his mentorship of up-and-comers.

One pitcher who benefited from Cole's mentorship was James Taillon, who plays for the Chicago Cubs. Taillon played the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Cole for the Yankees.

On Wednesday, Taillon spoke on the "Digging Deep Show," where he named the influential figures in his pitching development. He replied that David Freeze was one, despite not being a pitcher, but explained that Cole's influence trumped all.

"Gerrit Cole, big one obviously," Taillon said [From 12:09]. "Like, he's a good dude to learn from, but he's probably number one. Gerrit Cole, like, as far as a guy being invested in your career and being in your corner, and just being a great guy to learn from."

The 33-year-old explained that Cole is unlike typical starting pitchers, who are not always seen in the dugout except for their starts.

"Gerrit Cole's out there for nine innings, and he'll watch hitters' swings and go up to you after your at-bat and be like, 'This is what I'm seeing with your swing.' And sometimes, you know, you might take that the wrong way, but it's like, "This dude is in the fight with you every pitch," Taillon added.

The Cubs pitcher also added that Cole is an ultimate team player, saying he would be the first person to step out of the dugout in the event of a benches-clearing brawl.

Unfortunately, Cole hasn't played a single MLB game in 2025 and is out for the season. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow after experiencing discomfort during a Spring Training game.

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Jameson Taillon compares Gerrit Cole to Aaron Judge

In Gerrit Cole's absence, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has led from the front in the slugging department. Cubs pitcher Taillon believes they are similar, pointing out an intriguing factor.

"The sickest thing about, like, superstar players is, like, he's got a target on his back every five days and he's freaking ready every five days. Aaron Judge has a target on his back every at-bat, like, he gets everyone's best stuff. Gerrit gets everyone's best shot, and, like, they're still who they are, which is wild," Taillon said [From 14:01].

In Cole's absence, Max Fried has stepped up to be the team's leader in the starting rotation. The Yankees' starting rotation had also lost Marcus Stroman and Luis Gil to injury.

As such, many analyst believe the Bronx Bombers should strengthen their rotation before the trade deadline.