Taylor Waldron put together amazing first half with Pistol Shrimp

When the thought of getting a few more innings on the mound was brought to the attention of Taylor Waldron, he said he knew where he wanted that to happen if at all possible – pitching for the Prospect League’s Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp.

“I came to watch the Pistol Shrimp play all the time when I was in high school,” said Waldron, a Marquette Academy graduate who pitched at John A. Logan College in downstate Carterville this past spring. “I told my coach at Logan I was interested to pitch this summer for them if there were spots open, and he contacted [Pistol Shrimp manager] John [Jakiemiec] and got me set up.”

As a senior for the Crusaders in 2023, Waldron was the Tri-County Conference Pitcher of the Year, a unanimous TCC first-team pick, and named The Times Baseball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after going 6-1 with a 1.58 ERA and 21 hits allowed and 81 strikeouts over 44⅓ innings of work.

In 11 games with the Volunteers in the spring, Waldron started six games, pitched 27⅓ innings, and went 2-1 with a 3.95 and 38 punchouts.

Pitching in just the first half of the season for the Pistol Shrimp, Waldron was amazing, allowing no earned runs with two walks and 23 strikeouts in 17⅔ innings.

“Pitching (with the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp) this summer has really pushed my confidence higher than it was before I started. It’s made me even more excited to get my sophomore season started at John A. Logan College.”

—  Taylor Waldron, former Marquette Academy ace pitcher

“That was the plan going into the summer, that I was only going to pitch in the first half of the season,” Waldron said. “My goal was just to see as many hitters as I could in that time and just get a few more innings heading into next season.

“The competition level is so good. In this league, skill-wise, every guy in the lineup is a pretty good hitter at whatever school he’s playing at. If you get behind in the count and have to put one right down the middle, these guys aren’t going to miss that very often if ever. Not unlike at Logan, but here even more you have to change speeds and hit your locations to get guys out. I felt like the strike zone was a little tighter, but consistent. For me that just helped me focus more.”

Waldron said he felt like he pitched and felt better with each chance to toe the rubber.

“My first game here I was nervous, but I pitched pretty well and then was able to put together a few more good outings after that,” he said. “Pitching here this summer has really pushed my confidence higher than it was before I started. It’s made me even more excited to get my sophomore season started at Logan.”

While he said he made many memories this summer around the ballpark, returning to Schweickert Stadium on July 11 as the Pistol Shrimp recognized this year’s Class 1A baseball state champion Crusaders team was special for him. Waldron caught the ceremonial first pitch from state championship game winning pitcher and Times Baseball Player of the Year Carson Zellers.

“That was special,” Waldron said. “I knew [Marquette] was going to have a good team again this year, and I followed their season as best as I could.”

“To be honest, my favorite memory is just making new friends and teammates. It normally takes me a little while to open up, I guess, but that wasn’t really the case with everyone here.

“I felt like I belonged right from the start, and that first road trip on the bus helped me be more comfortable and relaxed. Hopefully I get a chance to come back again next summer. It was better than I could have imagined.”