Taylor Gushue
| AB | 4 |
|---|---|
| AVG | 0 |
| OBP | 0 |
| SLG | 0 |
| HR | 0 |
- Full name Taylor Stone Gushue
- Born 12/19/1993 in Boca Raton, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 224 / Bats: S / Throws: R
- School Florida
- Debut 06/30/2021
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Drafted in the 4th round (131st overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014 (signed for $388,800).
View Draft Report
Gushue passed on the draft out of high school, graduating early in December 2011 so he could enroll at Florida the following spring, so he is young for the college class with a December 1993 birthday. Gushue played mostly first base as a freshman, in deference to 2012 College Player of the Year Mike Zunino, but has been a stalwart as a catcher the last two seasons and one of the Southeastern Conference's top hitters, batting .389/.449/.583 in league play. Now 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, Gushue has the strength and frame to catch every day, and he has improved defensively over his college career. He's a good receiver who has at least an average arm, with some scouts grading it above-average even though he had thrown out just 20 percent of the 50 basestealers who had tested him this year. Gushue also has solid instincts at the plate, though he lacks the bat speed to be an elite hitter, and his struggles last summer in the Cape Cod League (.224, 20 strikeouts in 76 at-bats) likely will keep him from going out higher than the third round. He's strong and has a flat swing plane with an approach that could use some polish. Scouts grade him as a below-average hitter with average raw power.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Nationals acquired Gushue from the Pirates in September 2016 in a trade that sent prospect second baseman Chris Bostick to Pittsburgh. Gushue has been a below-average hitter his entire pro career and didn't have a great track record with the bat in college either. Still, scouts have long admired his defensive potential and the raw power that translated into a career-high 18 home runs in 2017 at high Class A Potomac. Lauded for having a strong arm out of college, Gushue improved behind the dish, throwing out 32 percent of basestealers between the Carolina League and 25 innings of work in the Double-A Eastern League. He's a good receiver with soft hands and a strong lower half and also has a feel for calling games and handling his pitching staff. There's no indication that he'll ever be an average hitter at this point, but the switch-hitter's power from the left side (14 of 18 homers) and defensive ability give him a chance to impact a major league team. A full season at Double-A Harrisburg in 2018 will be telling about Gushue's real offensive potential.
Draft Prospects
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Gushue passed on the draft out of high school, graduating early in December 2011 so he could enroll at Florida the following spring, so he is young for the college class with a December 1993 birthday. Gushue played mostly first base as a freshman, in deference to 2012 College Player of the Year Mike Zunino, but has been a stalwart as a catcher the last two seasons and one of the Southeastern Conference's top hitters, batting .389/.449/.583 in league play. Now 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, Gushue has the strength and frame to catch every day, and he has improved defensively over his college career. He's a good receiver who has at least an average arm, with some scouts grading it above-average even though he had thrown out just 20 percent of the 50 basestealers who had tested him this year. Gushue also has solid instincts at the plate, though he lacks the bat speed to be an elite hitter, and his struggles last summer in the Cape Cod League (.224, 20 strikeouts in 76 at-bats) likely will keep him from going out higher than the third round. He's strong and has a flat swing plane with an approach that could use some polish. Scouts grade him as a below-average hitter with average raw power.
