Jameson Taillon: What kind of cancer did the Yankees pitcher recover from?

New York Yankees pitcher Jameson Taillon has been one of the most durable starters in the MLB over recent years. However, the Yankees star had a scary bout with cancer early in his career.

Now, as a free agent, he has made a full recovery and is garnering interest from a number of clubs, including the Texas Rangers.

Born in Lakeland, Florida and raised in Texas, Taillon showed promise from a young age. As a star pitcher for his high school team in Woodlands, Texas, MLB scouts took notice from a very early stage.

"Word is that Jameson Taillon has impressed teams during his free-agent Zoom meetings. Taillon's market is gaining steam, per sources, and he is expected to command a deal worth more than the four-year, $56 million contract Jon Gray signed with Texas last winter." - @ Mark Feinsand

He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd overall in the June 2010 MLB Amateur Draft and made his debut for the Pirates in 2016 as a 24 year old. He pitched decently in his freshman season, compiling a record of 5-4 with an ERA of 3.38.

Jameson Taillon was gearing up for a big sophomore year in the spring of 2017 when he got life-changing news. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer, a common form of cancer among elite athletes. As a 25-year old rising pitcher, the news was undoubtedly tragic for Taillon and his family.

He missed the beginning of the 2017 season while seeking treatment for the cancer. It was soon revealed that he would need to have one of his testicles removed to prevent the cancer from getting a foothold and spreading any further.

On May 8th, 2017, he went into surgery at Alleghany General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Although the young man was being faced with some serious health challenges, he kept the mood light. After the successful procedure, Taillon jokingly posted on social media that, "Today I lost a piece of my "Manhood".

In June of 2019, Taillon announced that he was finally completely cancer-free, and thanked his friends, family and all the fans for their support through such a difficult time. He was back up and running soon thereafter.

"Like we said when the Yankees traded for Jameson Taillon nearly two years ago, he beat cancer and had two Tommy John surgeries. A playoff start in Houston is not something that would shake him." - @ Talkin' Yanks

In 2017, he made a career-best 25 starts with the Pirates. In January 2021, he was traded from the Pirates to the Yankees and was named pitcher of the month after posting an ERA of just 1.16 in July of that season.

In 2022, Taillon pitched seven perfect innings for thre Yankees against the Los Angeles Angels before finally getting hit in the 8th inning by Jared Walsh.

Jameson Taillon is a model of resilience

Hearing a diagnosis of that kind about yourself is something nobody ever wants to hear, especially when you are an MLB player. However, Taillon has shown that he was able to overcome the trials and continue pitching like the pro that he is.