Taylor Made
Here is this week's column on the St. George start, with a little included on the hot name in the league right now. Brandon Taylor was actually a highly-rated Chicago Cubs pitching prospect as recently as last year before Tommy John surgery derailed those plans. His agent called RoadRunners manager Cory Snyder in the offseason about a rebirth through a position overhaul, Snyder summoned Taylor to the Arizona Winter League and the process began at third base. Only later was there the move to shortstop, as Snyder explained.
"He wasn't comfortable at third, you have to hit homers on the (first and third base) corners and he just wasn't getting on," Snyder said. "You have to have the (home run) numbers at those positions but he just didn't have them and wanted the change.
"He can play third base right now in the big leagues. He can do some Double-A shortstop and move on, move up very quickly.
"At shortstop, he has great hands, there's just some stuff he needs to re-learn. Third base, he's just a natural. Hitting-wise, he's doing a great job. Mentally he's getting where he needs to be."
By the looks of it, what will be worth following is where Taylor ends up when a "big" comes calling. He'll be 26 in July, but might attract suitors as an interesting enigma at shortstop with his lively bat and defensive ability (think of the modern mold, a Miguel Cabrera prototype who could probably do some outfield if needed) Snyder talked about. Snyder was referring to the meager .238 average Taylor posted in 110 at-bats when playing third base for the Cubs in Peoria, though 10 home runs representing one every 11 at-bats is a hidden caveat of that power.
The strange sense of comfort Taylor is finding at the plate while at shortstop at the moment is bleeding through to the tune of seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 57 at-bats.