Beau Taylor Stats & Scouting Report

AB	51
AVG	.118
OBP	.237
SLG	.255
HR	2

Full name Beau Ritchie Taylor
Born 02/13/1990 in Rockledge, FL
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Central Florida
Debut 09/01/2018
Drafted in the 5th round (166th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2011 (signed for $147,600).

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Beau Taylor has passed Ronnie Richardson as the Golden Knights' top prospect, a lefthanded-hitting catcher who has offensive ability. Taylor's hand-eye coordination has helped him produce for three seasons as a regular, and he has solid hitting tools to go with a good profile. Taylor didn't start catching regularly until he got to UCF and remains rough as a receiver. He has a solid-average arm more notable for its accuracy than its explosiveness.

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Taylor has advanced quickly since signing for $147,600 as a fifth-round pick in 2011. He spent most of his pro debut in low Class A and finished his first full season in Double-A. He didn't take up catching full-time until he got to Central Florida, and his bat remains ahead of his defense. Taylor utilizes a contact-oriented, line-drive approach. He has a simple swing and a knack for barreling balls, though his power is limited beyond hitting balls to the gaps. His swing can get long at times but he usually puts together quality at-bats. Taylor has a strong throwing arm and the footwork to help it play up, though he threw out just 23 percent of basestealers in 2012. His defense is rough around the edges and he struggles with his receiving at times. He's still learning about calling games, though the A's were encouraged by how he ran the Double-A staff as a first-year pro. He doesn't have much speed, but his baserunning instincts are good. Taylor's ability to improve his power and defense will determine whether he'll be a regular or backup at the major league level. He'll head back to Midland to start 2013.
Taylor batted .337 as a three-year starter at Central Florida and backstopped the Knights to their first NCAA regional appearance in seven years as a junior in 2011. He earned a $147,600 bonus as a fifth-rounder and handled himself well as he was pushed to low Class A in his pro debut. Taylor came to pro ball with a bit of an unorthodox approach and a wide open batting stance. That style had worked for him, but the A's got him to be more conventional in instructional league. That allowed him to see pitches better and get in better position to handle them. He uses all fields with a line-drive stroke but won't hit for a ton of power, and he hit just 16 homers over his college career. Taylor still has to learn the finer points of calling pitches, but the A's have liked what they've seen of his catching from a technical standpoint. He's agile and a solid receiver. His arm strength is solid and plays up thanks to great footwork, helping him throw out 39 percent of basestealers in his first summer in pro ball. He's a below-average runner. With Max Stassi ticketed for high Class A, Taylor likely will head back to Burlington to start his first full pro season.