Chris Taylor (baseball)

Chris Taylor

Taylor with the Seattle Mariners
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 3
Shortstop
Born: (1990-08-29) August 29, 1990
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 24, 2014, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .234
Home runs 1
Runs batted in 17
Teams

Christopher Armand Taylor Jr. (born August 29, 1990) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to playing professionally, he attended the University of Virginia, and played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers. Taylor made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners on July 24, 2014.

Career

Amateur career

Taylor attended Great Neck Middle School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he was on the wrestling team, and won a city wrestling championship. When he attended Frank W. Cox High School, also in Virginia Beach, he stopped wrestling to focus on baseball. He was named the All-Tidewater region player of the year in 2009.[1]

Taylor was recruited to play college baseball by the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary. He chose to attend Virginia, and played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers baseball team, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In his freshman year, Taylor played sparingly as Tyler Cannon, an All-ACC shortstop, received most of the playing time. In the summer of 2010, he played for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL. In his sophomore year, Stephen Bruno was named the Cavaliers' starting shortstop at the beginning of the season, and Taylor began the year as the teams' right fielder. Taylor became the starting shortstop when Bruno suffered a hamstring injury, and retained the job after Bruno recovered.[2] In 2011, he hit a two-out, bases-loaded single to score the tying and winning runs in the decisive game of the Charlottesville Super Regional against UC Irvine and send the Cavaliers to the College World Series.

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners selected Taylor in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft.[3] He began his professional career in Minor League Baseball at the Rookie-level, but was soon promoted to Class A.[4] In 2013, Taylor played for the High Desert Mavericks of the Class A-Advanced California League and Jackson Generals of the Class AA Southern League, finishing the season with a combined .314 batting average, 165 hits (eight-best in Minor League Baseball), eight home runs, 60 runs batted in (RBIs), 108 runs scored, and 38 stolen bases. After the season, the Mariners assigned Taylor to the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League, and named him their minor league player of the year.[3] He hit .294 with Peoria, and had a .351 on-base percentage.[5]

The Mariners invited Taylor to spring training in 2014.[6][7] Following Spring Training, he was assigned to the Tacoma Rainers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL). He appeared in the Triple-A All-Star Game, and was named the PCL's Top Star.[8] After batting .328 with five home runs, 37 RBIs, and 63 runs scored in 75 games, the Mariners promoted Taylor to the major leagues on July 24 to replace the injured Willie Bloomquist who was placed on the 15-day disabled list.[9] He collected his first major-league hit, a single, on the same day against the Baltimore Orioles.

During spring training in 2015, Taylor fractured his wrist when he was hit by a pitch.[10] After he recovered from his injury, he began the 2015 Season with AAA Tacoma. He would have a stint with the Mariners later in the year, but was sent back to Tacoma after RHP Mayckol Guaipe was called up. On May 21, 2016 Chris was recalled from AAA Tacoma to replace the injured Ketel Marte.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On June 19, 2016, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Zach Lee.[11] The Dodgers optioned him to the Oklahoma City Dodgers of the PCL.[12] He was called up to the majors on June 25, 2016.[13]

On July 15, 2016, Taylor hit his first major league career home run, a grand slam, off of Silvino Bracho of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also had a double, a triple, drove in six runs, and fell just short of hitting for the cycle. He was the third Dodgers player in history to have his first career homer be a grand slam (Preston Ward in 1948 and Chico Fernández in 1956) and the third Dodgers second baseman to have at least six RBI in a game (Billy Herman in 1943 and Jackie Robinson in 1949).[14] He played in 34 games for the Dodgers, hitting .207.[15]

Personal

Taylor's father, Chris Sr., and grandfather, Armand, attended Virginia Tech, where they competed on the wrestling team.[1][2]

References

  1. 1 2 Frankenberry, Jami (June 20, 2009). "Chris Taylor, All-Tidewater baseball player of the year | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". HamptonRoads.com. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  2. 1 2 The Roanoke Times© June 19, 2011 (June 19, 2011). "Taylor has Hokie heritage, but is a hit with U.Va. | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". HamptonRoads.com. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Mariners honor VB's Chris Taylor | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". HamptonRoads.com. September 30, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  4. "Taylor promoted to Single-A, Butler excelling | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". HamptonRoads.com. August 1, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  5. "Seattle Mariners prospect Chris Taylor continues his impressive year in AFL | Mariners.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. November 21, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  6. "Mariners extend 15 non-roster Spring Training invites to prospects | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  7. Divish, Ryan (October 16, 2013). "Mariners announce non-roster invites to major league spring training | Mariners blog | Seattle Times". Blogs.seattletimes.com. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  8. "I.L. Scores 7-3 Win in Triple-A All-Star Game - Durham Bulls News". Durham Bulls. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  9. "Taylor, Montero promoted, in Mariners' lineup". Seattle Mariners. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  10. "Taylor frustrated by injury setback, but optimistic". Seattle Mariners. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  11. Stephen, Eric (June 19, 2016). "Dodgers acquire Chris Taylor from Mariners for Zach Lee". SB Nation. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  12. Stephen, Eric (June 22, 2016). "Dodgers newcomer Chris Taylor reports to Triple-A Oklahoma City". SB Nation. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  13. Weisman, Jon (June 25, 2016). "Chris Taylor promoted, Nick Tepesch designated". Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  14. Stephen, Eric (July 15, 2016). "Chris Taylor's career night gives Dodgers slugfest win over Diamondbacks". SB Nation. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  15. "Chris Taylor Statistics & History". Baseball Reference.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/16/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.