Sometimes, it can be easy to overlook Brayden Taylor when looking through prospects in the Tampa Bay Rays system.
He is the kind of player that is above average at everything, but not elite. He’ll hit for a respectable average, provide solid enough pop, steal some bases, and play decent defense. Which is exactly what Taylor has done since being selected by the Rays as the 19th overall pick in the 2023 draft. During his first professional season, Taylor hit .242/.361/.516 with 5 HR and 11 SB over 25 games, registering a 142 wRC+.
This most recent season, splitting the campaign between High-A and Double-A, Taylor hit .