Former Copper Hills Standout Named Top-10 MLB Third Base Prospect
Aug 17, 2024, 1:04 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – A year after the Tampa Bay Rays took him in the first round of the MLB draft, former Copper Hills Grizzly and TCU Horned Frog Brayden Taylor finds himself as one of the top third base prospects in the game.
Bleacher Report released an updated list of the top 10 MLB prospects at each position on Thursday, August 15.
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Brayden Taylor bangs his first @BiscuitBaseball homer off the butter's eye … we mean batter's eye 😉@RaysBaseball | @RaysPlayerDev | @TCU_Baseball pic.twitter.com/ZB1ZhfpN7l
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 13, 2024
Taylor, the 19th pick of the 2023 MLB draft, landed at No. 6 on this list of Top 10 third base prospects despite being second at the hot corner in the Rays organization. 21-year-old Junior Caminero is the Rays’ top prospect while playing the same position. Positional versatility will be critical to improve optionality as Taylor’s development continues. He has played 14 games at second base, 35 at third, and 41 at shortstop this year.
The Rays fourth-ranked prospect opened the season in Single-A Bowling Green, earning a promotion in late July. He slashed .269/.389/.513 with the Hot Rods while flashing five-tool ability. Thirty-four extra-base hits teased his power potential; blazing speed with five triples and 26 stolen bases make Taylor a threat to score anytime he reaches base.
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Brayden Taylor (@braydentaylor02) leads off with a triple!!!#ButterUp🧈 pic.twitter.com/8LpItCGfJU
— Montgomery Biscuits (@BiscuitBaseball) August 11, 2024
Taylor has continued to improve since the move to Double-A Montgomery on July 31. In 12 games with the Biscuits, he is hitting just .217 but has two triples, two homes, and six runs batted in.
The 22-year-old is considered to have a high floor, and MLB.com projects him to be big league ready in 2026.
About Brayden Taylor
Double-A Montgomery Biscuits – Tampa Bay Rays
A 2020 Copper Hills High School graduate, Taylor was rated the 188th-ranked high school prospect according to Perfect Game, entering his senior season after earning first-team all-state and all-region recognition as a sophomore and junior. Taylor left Copper Hills with a .461 career batting average while being named to the academic honor roll all four years.
Taylor committed to Texas Christian University (TCU) following his prep career. The West Jordan, Utah native didn’t miss a beat at the next level, starting 58 games and hitting .324. Taylor was named to several postseason all-freshman lists and was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He made the All-Big 12 Second Team as a sophomore and the All-Big 12 First Team as a junior.
Brayden Taylor Flashing Power At Double-A https://t.co/vpDQBfBsL3
— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) August 15, 2024
In three seasons with the Horned Frogs, Taylor became the program’s first position player first-round pick. He launched 48 home runs, including 23 long balls as a junior. Taylor hit .315 in 184 career games and had an OPS (on-base + slugging) above 1.000 all three years.
2024 Stats: 96 games | .262 | 95 Hits | 25 2B | 7 3B | 16 HR | 51 RBI | 67 BB | 113 K | 27 SB
2023 Stats: .242 BA | 25 games | 5 HR | 15 RBI
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies, Locals in MLB, and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees, Beehive baseball, and Aggie athletics coverage here.
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