HOUSTON — White Sox right-hander Sean Burke was roommates with righty Grant Taylor for a month last season while rehabbing at the team’s complex in Arizona.
Taylor’s baseball acumen stood out to Burke instantly.
‘‘His pitching knowledge, for how young he is, is super-advanced,’’ Burke told the Sun-Times. ‘‘He’s very serious about his work, how he goes about his business and his routine. He’s a guy that I learned a lot from, even though he’s younger than me. He’s gonna be good; his stuff’s unreal.”
The Sox called up Taylor on Tuesday from Double-A Birmingham and designated right-hander Bryse Wilson for assignment.
Taylor knew something was up when the Barons asked him to come to the field. He figured he was going somewhere, and he was surprised to learn it was the majors, not Triple-A Charlotte.
‘‘Just a little bit of shock, a lot of excitement,’’ Taylor said before pitching a 1-2-3 seventh inning — a fly to center and two grounders to short — in his major-league debut against the Astros.
A second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Taylor has been plagued by injuries throughout his baseball life. He missed a full season at LSU because of Tommy John surgery and appeared in only five minor-league games last season because of a lat injury.
Taylor, the Sox’ sixth-ranked prospect, had a 1.01 ERA at Birmingham with 37 strikeouts and triple-digit velocity. He made six starts before the Sox moved him to the bullpen May 14.
Because of his injuries — which limited him to 46 minor-league innings — the Sox wanted to use him in shorter bursts, despite his velocity. They have a history of transitioning starters to relievers, then stretching them back out — such as they did with left-hander Garrett Crochet before his breakout 2024 season. The team thinks pitching out of the bullpen will help Taylor stay healthy.
Manager Will Venable said Taylor won’t pitch in back-to-back games at first and eventually will fill a multi-inning role.
‘‘The guy just performed so well that he’s forced his way up here,’’ Venable said. ‘‘You’ll see some of that protection here because he made it hard not to call him up.’’
Taylor was part of the star-studded LSU team that featured eventual 2023 draft picks Paul Skenes (No. 1) and Dylan Crews (No. 2). Taylor still communicates with Skenes via text and said the Pirates’ ace gave him some advice.
‘‘Mainly just be myself, trust and believe in the stuff that I have and let the pitches be in the zone and let it do what it does,’’ Taylor said.
Taylor impressed in spring training, touching 101.2 mph in a game against the Royals. Venable still was learning the ins and outs of the organization during camp, but he remembered the players speaking glowingly about Taylor’s stuff from live batting-practice sessions.
Though he aspired to be a starter when he was drafted, Taylor was noncommittal about how he views himself. After injuries robbed him of almost two full seasons, he’s appreciative to have a role at the major-league level.
‘‘The past two years have definitely been a long road,’’ Taylor said. ‘‘A little bit of uncertainty of what’s going to happen, how am I going to feel when I come back. I feel great now, and I feel like it’s made me a better man, a better player, a better teammate.’’