Kobie Taylor

Taylor opened eyes playing with the Northeast Yankees Area Code team last summer. In an exhibition game against the Orleans Firebirds, Taylor squared up Vanderbilt lefthander John Kilichowski, and also showed off a fluid, smooth righthanded swing. Taylor made consistent contact the rest of the summer, but his bat path has the shape of a sideways parenthesis, causing him to generate topspin on the ball when he's caught out front of a pitch, leading to a high ground ball rate. Taylor is an above-average to plus runner. He played this sparingly this spring due to a suspension early in the season and a fractured thumb. Despite the suspension, Taylor earns positive reviews for his character and work ethic, and multiple scouts told Baseball America the reason for his suspension did not change their evaluation of his character. He is committed to Vanderbilt, but could be signable if a team is willing to overlook his limited track record and gamble on his athleticism.