Chris Taylor (baseball)

Chris Taylor
300px Taylor with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners – No. 1
Shortstop
Born: (1990-08-29) August 29, 1990 Virginia Beach, Virginia
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 24, 2014, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics (through August 10, 2015)
Batting average	.239
Home runs	0
Runs batted in	10
Teams
Seattle Mariners (2014–present)

Christopher Armand Taylor, Jr. (born August 29, 1990) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to playing professionally, he attended the University of Virginia, and played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers. Taylor made his MLB debut with the Mariners on July 24, 2014.

Career

Taylor attended Great Neck Middle School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he was on the wrestling team, and won a city wrestling championship. When he attended Frank W. Cox High School, also in Virginia Beach, he stopped wrestling to focus on baseball. He was named the All-Tidewater region player of the year in 2009. He was recruited to play college baseball by the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary. He chose to attend Virginia, and played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers baseball team, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In his freshman year, Taylor played sparingly as Tyler Cannon, an All-ACC shortstop, received most of the playing time. In the summer of 2010, he played for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL. In his sophomore year, Stephen Bruno was named the Cavaliers' starting shortstop at the beginning of the season, and Taylor began the year as the teams' right fielder. Taylor became the starting shortstop when Bruno suffered a hamstring injury, and retained the job after Bruno recovered. In 2011, he hit a two-out, bases-loaded single to score the tying and winning runs in the decisive game of the Charlottesville Super Regional against UC Irvine and send the Cavaliers to the College World Series.

The Mariners selected Taylor in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He began his professional career in Minor League Baseball at the Rookie-level, but was soon promoted to Class A. In 2013, Taylor played for the High Desert Mavericks of the Class A-Advanced California League and Jackson Generals of the Class AA Southern League, finishing the season with a combined .314 batting average, 165 hits (eight-best in Minor League Baseball), eight home runs, 60 runs batted in (RBIs), 108 runs scored, and 38 stolen bases. After the season, the Mariners assigned Taylor to the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League, and named him their minor league player of the year. He hit .294 with Peoria, and had a .351 on-base percentage.

The Mariners invited Taylor to spring training in 2014. Following Spring Training, he was assigned to the Tacoma Rainers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL). He appeared in the Triple-A All-Star Game, and was named the PCL's Top Star. After batting .328 with five home runs, 37 RBIs, and 63 runs scored in 75 games, the Mariners promoted Taylor to the major leagues on July 24 to replace the injured Willie Bloomquist who was placed on the 15 day disabled list. He collected his first major-league hit, a single, on the same day against the Baltimore Orioles.

During spring training in 2015, Taylor fractured his wrist when he was hit by a pitch. After he recovered from his injury, he began the 2015 Season with AAA Tacoma. He would have a stint with the Mariners later in the year, but was sent back to Tacoma after RHP Mayckol Guaipe was called up. On May 21, 2016 Chris was recalled from AAA Tacoma to replace the injured Ketel Marte

Personal

Taylor's father, Chris Sr., and grandfather, Armand, attended Virginia Tech, where they competed on the wrestling team.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)