Michael Taylor (baseball, born 1985)

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Michael Taylor

| team =

| image = Michael Taylor (baseball) 2013.jpg

| caption = Taylor with the Oakland Athletics

| position = Outfielder

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1985|12|19}}

| birth_place = Cheverly, Maryland, U.S.

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = September 2

| debutyear = 2011

| debutteam = Oakland Athletics

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 28

| finalyear = 2014

| finalteam = Chicago White Sox

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .167

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 1

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 1

| teams =

Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|2011}}–{{mlby|2013}})
Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2014}})

}}

Michael David Taylor (born December 19, 1985) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox from 2011 through 2014.

Early life

Taylor was born in Cheverly, Maryland, and graduated from Apopka High School in Apopka, Florida.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=taylomi01|title = Michael Taylor Stats| publisher= Baseball Almanac|access-date= December 10, 2012}} He played college baseball at Stanford University.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/taylomi01.shtml|title = Michael Taylor Stats

| publisher= Baseball-Reference.com|access-date= December 10, 2012}} In 2006, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.{{cite web|author= |url=http://capecodbaseball.org.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/2012website/archives/Current%20Year/All_Time_MLB_CCBL_Alumni.pdf |title=Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |date= |access-date=September 25, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2006&T=Yarmouth-Dennis_Red_Sox |title=2006 Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}

Baseball career

=Philadelphia Phillies=

Taylor was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft out of Stanford University.[http://stanford.scout.com/2/650194.html Phillies Take Taylor in Fifth Round] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502111910/http://stanford.scout.com/2/650194.html |date=May 2, 2009 }} At the end of the 2009 season, he was one of two players given the Paul Owens Award, for best pitcher and best position player (which went to Taylor) in the Phillies' farm system.{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillies_zone/Drabek_Taylor_named_Phils_minor_leaguers_of_year.html|

title = Drabek, Taylor named Phils minor leaguers of year|

date = September 2, 2009| publisher= Philly.com|access-date= December 10, 2012}} He was also selected as the Eastern League Rookie of the Year while playing for the Reading Phillies.

=Oakland Athletics=

On December 16, 2009, Taylor was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays with Kyle Drabek and Travis D'Arnaud in exchange for Roy Halladay.{{cite news|title=Phillies complete Halladay deal|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4748216|access-date=January 23, 2015|work=ESPN.com|date=December 17, 2009}} The Blue Jays immediately traded him to the Oakland Athletics for Brett Wallace.{{cite web |url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091215&content_id=7814772&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi |title=Seven prospects involved in blockbuster |date=December 16, 2009 |author1=Mayo, Jonathan |author2=Winston, Lisa |name-list-style=amp |work=MLB.com |access-date=December 17, 2009 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220115157/http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091215&content_id=7814772&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi |archive-date=December 20, 2009 |df=mdy-all }} He spent the entire 2010 season at Triple-A Sacramento and played in the Arizona Fall League.

On September 2, 2011, Taylor made his major league debut with Oakland, batting ninth and playing right field.[http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=22384 Stanford's Michael Taylor makes his debut with the Oakland Athletics] In total, his brief 2011 stint with the A's included 11 games, 6 hits, 1 HR, 1 RBI and a .200 batting average.

Taylor was designated for assignment by the Athletics on March 29, 2014.{{cite news|last1=Baer|first1=Bill|title=Athletics designate Michael Taylor for assignment|url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/29/athletics-designate-michael-taylor-for-assignment/|access-date=January 23, 2015|publisher=NBC Sports|date=March 29, 2014}}

=Chicago White Sox=

On June 14, 2014, the A's traded Taylor to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Jake Sanchez.{{cite news|last1=Joe|first1=Stiglich|title=A's trade outfielder Michael Taylor to White Sox|url=http://www.csnbayarea.com/athletics/trade-outfielder-michael-taylor-white-sox|access-date=January 23, 2015|publisher=CSN Bay Area|date=June 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021003543/http://www.csnbayarea.com/athletics/trade-outfielder-michael-taylor-white-sox|archive-date=October 21, 2014|url-status=dead}} On October 24, Taylor was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights and later that same day he elected free agency.

On January 10, 2015, Taylor re-signed with Chicago on a minor league contract.{{cite news|title=Soto, Penny get minors deals|url=https://www.espn.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/12212928/chicago-white-sox-agree-deals-geovany-soto-brad-penny|access-date=January 23, 2015|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|date=January 22, 2015}} On March 10, Taylor announced his retirement from professional baseball.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/03/minor-moves-michael-taylor-kevin-vance.html|title=Minor Moves: Michael Taylor, Kevin Vance|last=Adams|first=Steve|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=March 10, 2015|access-date=March 11, 2015}}