Taylor Hill Stats & Scouting Report

Full name David Taylor Hill
Born 03/12/1989 in Nashville, TN
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Vanderbilt
Debut 06/25/2014
Drafted in the 6th round (187th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2011 (signed for $36,000).

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Hill has pitched in Vanderbilt's rotation for most of his four seasons on campus. A 30th-round pick of the Indians last year, he didn't sign and has maintained his rotation spot despite the Commodores' tremendous pitching depth. Hill earned and has kept his spot due to his ability to pound the strike zone with four pitches, and he has been rewarded with fewer home runs allowed due in part to the new bats. Hill's fastball has sink and boring action and can reach 93-94 mph, though he usually sits 87-92. His slider and changeup are solid-average secondary pitches, and every once in a while he'll mix in a split-finger pitch. Big and physical at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Hill profiles as an innings-eating, back-of-the-rotation starter.

Top Rankings

After spending two years in Vanderbilt's weekend rotation, Hill was drafted in 2011 as a senior and moved quickly through the Nationals system. He led the Triple-A International League in WHIP (1.12) and ranked second in ERA (2.81) in 2014 before making his major league debut in September. Hill lacks overpowering stuff, but he makes up for it with his advanced feel for pitching. He has plus control and solid-average command, and he keeps hitters off balance by throwing four pitches for strikes. His fastball sits at 90-92 mph with solid sink and occasionally bumps 94, and he pitches in with it exceptionally well. He can backdoor both of his breaking balls for called strikes. His solid-average slider is the better offering, but his curveball has become another useful pitch. He also has good feel for his average changeup. Hill is a dogged competitor who knows how to set up hitters and induce groundball outs. He fields his position and holds runners well. His upside is limited, but he has the stuff and savvy to pitch in the big leagues.