Will
Taylor

Cape Cod: Was one of the nation’s top recruits two years ago as a two-sport athlete who doubled as a receiver on the football team. He injured his knee on the gridiron as a freshman and missed most of that spring on the diamond, and this year he decided to give up football to focus solely on baseball. Taylor showed off his ability to hit for average (.361) and drive the gaps (16 doubles) as a sophomore this spring, but he hit just .231 during a disappointing summer for Hyannis, showing some length in his swing and struggling against velocity up in the zone and in the zone. He had a tendency to take wild hacks when ahead in the count instead of taking his walks, perhaps a sign that he was pressing. Taylor’s quick-twitch athleticism gives him plenty of upside — he’s a 5-foot-11, 180-pound dynamo with excellent speed and defensive ability in center field, but he needs to make better swing decisions than he did this summer

A premium athlete, Taylor is committed to Clemson to play baseball and slot receiver for the national powerhouse. Given his status in football, it would be easy to excuse any rawness to his game, but he has done nothing but hit top pitching this summer. His fast hands allow the ball to jump off his barrel against premium velocity. The swing has a little length to it now, but is loose and will only improve with more reps. He has strength now with plenty more to come in his lean, 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame. He is a plus runner, turning in 60 times around 6.5-6.6 this summer.