Taijuan Walker was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and his first interest was basketball until the age of 11 when he began playing baseball. Walker went to Yucaipa High School in Yucaipa, California, where he was a pitcher, shortstop, and two-sport athlete.
Walker was teammates with Matt Davidson, a third baseman in the Los Angeles Dodgers system, in Yucaipa. Former big leaguers Corky Miller and Mark Teahen both attended Yucaipa.
Walker signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the New York Mets on February 20, 2021, with a player option for the 2023 season. He was chosen to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2021, his first career nomination, taking the place of teammate Jacob deGrom.
Walker’s performance, however, dropped after the All-Star break; he was 7-3 with a 2.66 ERA in the first half and was 0-8 with a 7.13 ERA in the second half. He concluded the 2021 season with a 7–11 overall record and a 4.47 ERA in 159 innings pitched.
Walker was traded by the Mariners to the Toronto Blue Jays on August 27, 2020, in exchange for a player to be named later or monetary considerations. To complete the transaction, Toronto dispatched Alberto Rodriguez to Seattle on September 1, 2020.
He made his Blue Jays debut on August 29, 2020, against the Baltimore Orioles, pitching six shutout innings and allowing four hits. Walker participated in 6 games for the 2020 Toronto Blue Jays, earning a 2-1 record, 1.37 ERA, and 25 strikeouts in 26+13 innings thrown.
How Old Is Taijuan Walker?
Walker is currently 29 years old.