Sam Taylor (minors)

Samuel Vance Taylor

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 185 lb.
• School University of Kentucky
• Born August 6, 1968 in Syracuse, NY USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Sam Taylor played professionally from 1989 to 1993 and from 1995 to 1998. Though he spent part of two seasons at Triple-A, he never ascended to the majors.

Taylor was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 14th round of the 1989 amateur draft, few picks ahead of infielder Keith Johns. In his second campaign, 1990, he hit .308/.366/.439 with 5 home runs, 36 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 75 games for the Spartanburg Phillies. In 1991, he led the Florida State League in sacrifice flies with 10 and was second in RBI (73), behind Scott Cepicky's 76. In 1992, he slugged 10 home runs with 55 RBI in 98 games for the Reading Phillies. He reached Triple-A for the first time in 1993, hitting .241/.319/.382 in 67 games for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. He batted .258/.349/.407 in 116 games on the year as a whole.

He joined the independent Western League in 1995, where he rattled off four solid years in a row. In 1995, with the Salinas Peppers, he hit .265/.359/.515 with 17 home runs and 55 RBI in 89 games. He tied multiple players for second in games played, behind Shawn Scott's 90. He also tied Ken Norman for second in triples (8), behind Marcus McGowan's 10. He tied multiple players for second in homers, behind Paul Williams's 22. Back with Salinas in 1996, he hit .325/./373/.508 with 11 home runs and 68 RBI in 88 games. He led the league in sacrifice flies (8), was second in hits (121, behind Rick Prieto's 123) and was second in at-bats (372, behind Shawn Scott's 390). He joined the Mission Viejo Vigilantes in 1997, hitting .306/.381/.546 with 21 home runs and 58 RBI in 89 games. And in 1988, he hit .337/.455/.452 in 30 games for the Tri-City Posse.

Overall, Taylor hit .281/.361/.456 with 85 home runs and 441 RBI in 750 games over 9 seasons. In the Phillies chain, he hit .265/.347/.411 with 35 home runs and 237 RBI in 454 games and in indy ball, he hit .303/.380/.516 with 50 home runs and 204 RBI in 296 games.