Taylor Ward
Born:
12/14/1993 (Age: 30)
Bats:
Right
Throws: Right
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185
Primary Position: C
Seconday Position: -
Throws: Right
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185
Primary Position: C
Seconday Position: -
Acquisition Period:
1st Rd. (#26 overall) 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft (LAA)
Entry Point: 4 Yr College
Entry Point: 4 Yr College
Report Info
| Evaluator: | Ryan Ozella |
| Report Date: | June 18th, 2016 |
| Dates Seen: | 6/13, 6/14 |
| Level: | High A |
| Affiliate: | Inland Empire 66ers |
| MLB Team: |
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Physical Description
Muscularly thick build on a mature body; long arms. Could continue to add strength without sacrificing tools.
| MLB ETA | Future Floor | Future Ceiling | Realistic Role | Risk | 2019 | 40 | 50 | Role 50: Average major league catcher | Low |
|---|
| Tool | Present | Future | Comments |
| Hit | 45 | 50 | Quite stance with hands held at shoulders; produces a level stroke with some bat speed. Patient hitter; unwilling to chase and makes pitches be in zone. Consistent line-drive contact with middle-of-the- field approach. |
| Quite stance with hands held at shoulders; produces a level stroke with some bat speed. Patient hitter; unwilling to chase and makes pitches be in zone. Consistent line-drive contact with middle-of-the- field approach. | |||
| Raw Power | 30 | 40 | Not much power currently; should develop gap power, and ability to turn on mistakes, as he strengthens and sees more advanced pitching. Swing not made to create much lift on ball. |
| Not much power currently; should develop gap power, and ability to turn on mistakes, as he strengthens and sees more advanced pitching. Swing not made to create much lift on ball. | |||
| Run | 40 | 40 | Not a blazer on base paths, but able to utilize athleticism and long stride to build up speed; showed an ability to score form 1st base. Base stealing not a part of his game, but can pick spots and has stolen some bases. |
| Not a blazer on base paths, but able to utilize athleticism and long stride to build up speed; showed an ability to score form 1st base. Base stealing not a part of his game, but can pick spots and has stolen some bases. | |||
| Field | 45 | 50 | Inconsistent receiving skills currently; will turn his hand the wrong way to catch pitches on inner half of the zone. Blocking is fringy currently, with lateness reacting to balls in dirt, but has frame and tools to be decent with more development. All issues are items that can be corrected with continued work. |
| Inconsistent receiving skills currently; will turn his hand the wrong way to catch pitches on inner half of the zone. Blocking is fringy currently, with lateness reacting to balls in dirt, but has frame and tools to be decent with more development. All issues are items that can be corrected with continued work. | |||
| Throw | 60 | 60 | Plus arm with quick release (1.8 pop); regularly on target. Best asset on defensive side and will limit running game; has thrown out 36% of runners in professional career. Good footwork on throws to second and showcases quickness from catching stance. |
| Plus arm with quick release (1.8 pop); regularly on target. Best asset on defensive side and will limit running game; has thrown out 36% of runners in professional career. Good footwork on throws to second and showcases quickness from catching stance. | |||
MiLB Stats
Overall Summary
Defensive catcher that limits run game and has ability to be patient, making solid line-drive contact to get on base. Quiet stance at plate, standing tall without much load of hands at shoulders. Patient hitter who rarely chases and will take his walks; ability to utilize patience for good pitches over plate. Line-drive stroke with middle of the field approach. Not much power currently; could develop some gap type power with ability to turn on mistakes. Has some bat speed and could see both power and hit tool continuing to develop as he builds confidence in his reaction to pitches. Plus arm limits run game currently; shows quickness in feet and out of stance with throws regularly on target. Fringe-average receiving and blocking skills currently; will need to continue to develop to reach ceiling, but mistakes are fixable with more practice and shouldn't hold him back at position. Athletic stride on base paths; by no means a blazer, but builds up speed and can go from 1st-to-3rd and score from 1st on ball in gap. Has picked right time to steal some bags, but not an overall part of his game. Needs to continue to work on receiving skills, but should be defensive-minded, average catcher in the major leagues due to plus arm that limits run game, and due to ability to show patience and make solid line-drive contact as hitter.
