Five or six years ago, Phillies fans not only had division championships to look forward to, but the organization was also filled with a lot of talented prospects. A future outfield that included Domonic Brown and Michael Taylor had plenty of potential, but Brown has regressed after an All-Star season and Taylor was shipped out in the Roy Halladay trade. So much for that idea.
Once a highly-touted prospect for the Phillies and the Athetics, Taylor, 29, announced his retirement yesterday after going 0-for-7 with two strikeouts to start spring training with the White Sox. Triple-A Charlotte manager spoke to the Chicago Tribune about Taylor's decision.
“He’s a smart kid with a lot of opportunities, and I think his heart wasn’t as much into it as it has been in the past,” Ventura said. “I think some opportunities presented themselves, and he decided to take that up.
“He thought about it long and hard. He came in, and there was no talking him out of it. He was ready to move on to something else, and I know he’s going to be successful at something because he’s a smart kid.”
Drafted in the fifth-round of the 2007 draft out of Stanford by the Phillies, Taylor played in just 37 major league games in his career, going 17-for-102 at the plate in time with Oakland and the White Sox. He was much more successful in the minor leagues, though.
Taylor is what some folks would call a quadruple-A player. He was a guy that absolutely tore apart minor league pitching, but just couldn't put it together at the big league level. When the Phillies opted to send Taylor rather than Brown in the Halladay deal, he was then sent to Oakland shortly afterwards. He was highly regarded at the time, coming off a 2009 season where he hit a combined .320 between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley with 22 doubles, four triples, 15 homers and 65 RBI's.
Since being traded though, Taylor has undergone his fair share of injury issues, halting his development year after year. He spent all of 2010 with Oakland's Triple-A team and hit .272 with 16 home runs. That was good enough for the Athletics to give him a look at the big league level in 2011. In 11 games though, Taylor struggled at the plate, striking out 11 times in 30 at-bats. He played just 26 games over three seasons in the big leagues with Oakland, hitting .135 with a homer and one RBI.
In June of 2014, the A's traded Taylor to the White Sox. Though Taylor hoped to get a fresh start, he just couldn't find success in the majors. In just 11 games with the White Sox, Taylor went 7-for-28 with a double, five walks and a strikeout. Last year in Charlotte, Taylor spent time with fellow outfield prospect Jared Mitchell, who was rather surprised at the retirement news.
“It was really surprising,” said Sox outfield prospect Jared Mitchell, who had played with Taylor at Triple-A Charlotte. "You never expect anybody to get out of the game on their own. … I know a lot of guys feel like as long as you keep getting an opportunity, you try to make the most of it.
“It’s always weird to see something like that happen. But it was a decision he made for himself and his family, and I wish him the best of luck. I hope it works out for him.”
His major league statistics are also disappointing, because on a personal level, Taylor was a fan favorite for anyone who had the opportunity to meet him. I currently work in Triple-A baseball with the Braves, but started my career in 2009 with Reading and got to see Taylor play every day I worked. His baseball potential and his affable personality boded so well for the chemistry of the clubhouse. He was a clear leader on and off the field. Not only was he hitting the cover off the ball, but he also always made time to sign autographs, have conversation and take pictures with fans.
I remember my parents came out to a game in 2009 in Reading and they sat next to Taylor's parents and had great conversations about the kid and how big of a role he could play in the Phillies future outfield. I followed Taylor throughout his career because of the success he endured with the Phillies organization and was bummed to see him struggle with the other teams.
This season, I got to see Taylor play for the Charlotte Knights when they visited the team I work for, the Gwinnett Braves. Taylor, who stands at 6'5", is a big guy and still showed his ability to drive the ball and crush opposing pitching. In 64 games with Charlotte, Taylor hit .306 with six homers and 38 RBI's.
Taylor also has battled with Type I diabetes since the age of nine. According to the American Diabetes Association, the body does not produce insulin, a hormone that converts sugar, starches and other food into the energy necessary for daily life. While some athletes with the same condition have gone on to have successful careers, they remained injury free. Some believe that having diabetes and undergoing a slew of injuries, like Taylor has, can reduce the potential and recovery time of the athlete.
Over his eight seasons in the minor leagues, Taylor hit .290/.374/.465 with 108 home runs, 568 RBI and 105 stolen bases in 3,272 at-bats.
