Ben Taylor
| IP | 23 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.478 |
| WHIP | 1.565 |
| BB/9 | 3.913 |
| SO/9 | 10.174 |
- Full name Benjamin Alan Taylor
- Born 11/12/1992 in Montgomery, AL
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School South Alabama
- Debut 04/07/2017
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Drafted in the 7th round (201st overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2015 (signed for $10,000).
View Draft Report
Taylor began his college career at Chattahoochee Valley (Ala.) CC before moving on to South Alabama for his junior year. He transitioned to the bullpen for the Jaguars and became their best reliever this spring, striking out 68 batters and walking 13 in 42 2/3 innings. Taylor relies on his fastball-slider combination. His fastball sits in the low 90s and gets up to 95 mph, while his slider is more of a fringe-average offering. Taylor pounds the strike zone and could provide good value as a senior sign.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Since the Red Sox selected Taylor as a senior sign out of South Alabama in 2015, he has shown that his impressive college strikeout numbers (14.3 per nine innings as a senior) were no fluke. He continues to miss bats with a fastball that peaks at 96 mph with deception, and he complements the pitch with a slider that has shown the potential to miss bats but is inconsistent. Taylor struck out well over a batter per inning at both high Class A Salem and Double-A Portland in 2016, pitching well enough at both levels that he could open 2017 at Triple-A Pawtucket. He has the upside of a Kevin Jepsen-type reliever, a seventh-inning contributor who offers a bit of a different look with the ability to miss bats with his fastball at the top of the strike zone. Taylor receives high marks for his makeup and willingness to work, and he is nearly big league ready.
