| Troy Taylor | |
| Team: | Seattle Mariners |
| Number: | 59 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 9 September 2001 |
| Birth Place: | Fontana, California, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | August 11 |
| Debutyear: | 2024 |
| Debutteam: | Seattle Mariners |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | 2024 season |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 0–0 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 3.72 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 25 |
| Teams: |
|
Troy Jonathan Taylor (born September 9, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Taylor graduated in 2019 from Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California.[1] He was the team MVP and an all-league player in his senior season of baseball.[2] He played college baseball for the Cal State Long Beach in 2020, where he converted to being a pitcher[3] and pitched in one game, allowing a run while recording four outs in a loss to Mississippi State.[4] [5] After one year at Long Beach, Taylor transferred to Cypress College. After his lone year at Cypress,[6] he pitched for the Williamsport Crosscutters in the MLB Draft League, being named the team's pitcher of the year.[7] He was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 20th round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign with the team.[8] [9] He transferred to UC Irvine for the 2022 season, where he led the Anteaters with 6 saves.[10]
Taylor was selected by the Mariners in the 12th round of the 2022 MLB draft, this time signing with the team with a $125,000 signing bonus.[11] Taylor made his professional debut in April 2023 with the Single-A Modesto Nuts. In August, he was promoted to the High-A Everett AquaSox. In 40 appearances with the two affiliates, he had a 3.38 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 3 saves across innings pitched.[12] He then played for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, picking up 1 win and 1 save in nine appearances. He was selected for the 2023 Fall Stars Game.[13]
Taylor started 2024 back in Everett before being promoted to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers in May.[14] He earned 21 saves in 40 minor league games, with a 3–4 record and 1.69 ERA in innings. On August 10, 2024, Taylor was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues.[15] [16] Taylor made his MLB debut with the Mariners the next day, striking out two New York Mets batters and walking one in the ninth inning of a 12–1 win.[17] [18] [19] He gave up his first MLB home run to Javier Báez of the Detroit Tigers in his next appearance on August 13.[20] Taylor earned his first MLB save on September 27, recovering from allowing a leadoff double and throwing a wild pitch to recording three consecutive outs against the Oakland Athletics.[21] [22] Taylor, pitching primarily as a reliever in the seventh inning, finished his first MLB season with a 3.72 ERA and 25 strikeouts in innings. Taylor's fastball averaged 97 miles per hour, which was in the top 10 percent of MLB pitchers. The spin on his fastball was in the top 15 percent of pitchers. His main secondary pitch was a sweeper, which was a slightly below average pitch, according to Statcast.[23]