Curtis Taylor

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #10 prospect in 2017
  Taylor was one of four Canadians drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2016 and comes out of the same college program--University of British Columbia--that produced former big league southpaw Jeff Francis. Taylor was a reliever his first two college seasons before moving to the rotation for his junior year, when he posted a 1.96 ERA with an outstanding 113-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. After signing for $496,700, he pitched effectively out of the short-season Hillboro bullpen, fanning 12.4 batters per nine innings. Taylor's firm fastball sits 93-96 mph with plus sink out of his 6-foot-6 frame. He gets good life on the pitch, with at least one report having him touching 99 mph during the summer. He flashes a plus slider and has emerging feel for his changeup, though the pitch remains fringe-average at best. Taylor has a quick arm with a max-effort delivery that features a three-quarters arm slot and a funky arm action, but he repeats his motion and it adds deception. His delivery and two-pitch mix portend a future bullpen role, but he has the stuff to start and will be developed in that role for now. He will head to full-season ball in 2017, most likely low Class A Kane County as part of the Cougars rotation.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #130 prospect in 2016 draft
  The only Canadian school in NAIA, British Columbia produced 2002 first-rounder Jeff Francis, who went on to be Minor League Player of the Year and pitched parts of 11 seasons of the big leagues. Taylor is the school's best prospect since then, and the 6-foot-6, 225-pounder has a chance to go in the first three rounds. He's imposing physically and has room to add some size and maintain his top-end velocity more. He has a loose arm with a low slot, releasing the ball a bit lower than low three-quarters, and has run his fastball up to 96 mph. When he doesn't fly open too soon, he's able to stay on top of his hard slider and get ground balls and weak contact with that and his 92-94 mph sinking, running fastball. He's worked more in relief over the course of his career, and his changeup remains behind his other two offerings, but he transitioned to starting this spring and finished well, striking out 22 in 12.2 innings of his final two starts.

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Taylor was one of four Canadians drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2016 and comes out of the same college program--the University of British Columbia--that produced former big league southpaw Jeff Francis. Taylor was a reliever his first two college seasons before moving to the rotation for his junior year, when he posted a 1.96 ERA with an outstanding 113-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. After signing for $496,700, he pitched effectively out of the short-season Hillboro bullpen, fanning 12.4 batters per nine innings. Scouting Report: Taylor's firm fastball sits 93-96 mph with plus sink out of his 6-foot-6 frame. He gets good life on the pitch, with at least one report having him touching 99 mph during the summer. He flashes a plus slider and has emerging feel for his changeup, though the pitch remains fringe-average at best. Taylor has a quick arm with a max-effort delivery that features a three-quarters arm slot and a funky arm action, but he repeats his motion and it adds deception.
  
  The Future: Taylor's delivery and two-pitch mix portend a future bullpen role, but he has the stuff to start and will be developed in that role for now. He will head to full-season ball in 2017, most likely low Class A Kane County as part of the Cougars' rotation.