Scott Taylor (left-handed pitcher)

Taylor played high school baseball in his hometown of Defiance, Ohio. His senior year, he threw a no-hitter{{efn|Taylor's no-hitter is absent from the detailed baseball records kept by Defiance High School,{{cite book |url=https://www.defiancecityschools.org/Downloads/2023%20baseball%20record%20book.pdf |title=Defiance HS Baseball Record Book |pages=65–66 |date=2023 |accessdate=January 23, 2025 |via=defiancecityschools.org}} but was reported locally in The Lima News.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-1985-04-28-no-hitter/139939962/ |title=Spartans, Indians pull off close Sectional wins |first=Jim |last=Naveau |newspaper=The Lima News |location=Lima, Ohio |page=D3 |date=April 28, 1985 |accessdate=January 30, 2024 |via=newspapers.com |quote=But the pitcher of the day was Defiance's Taylor. The senior lefthander struck out 10 and walked one in his no-hitter.}}}} and posted a 5–2 win–loss record with a 0.52 earned run average (ERA). In June 1985, he committed to attend Bowling Green State University.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-tribune-falcons-sign/126832234/ |title=Falcons sign Defiance pitcher |newspaper=The Daily Sentinel-Tribune |location=Bowling Green, Ohio |page=22 |date=June 6, 1985 |accessdate=June 21, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}

Taylor played college baseball for three seasons with the Bowling Green Falcons,{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/college/bowling_green_state_university_baseball_players.shtml |title=Bowling Green State University Baseball Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues |website=Baseball Almanac |accessdate=June 22, 2023}} receiving all-Mid-American Conference (MAC) honorable mention in 1986 and 1987, and second-team honors in 1988.{{cite book |url=https://bgsufalcons.com/documents/2023/10/30/2023-24_BGSU_Baseball_Record_Book.pdf |title=BGSU Baseball Record Book |date=June 2023 |publisher=Bowling Green State University Athletics |via=bgsufalcons.com |accessdate=January 29, 2024}}{{rp|2}} Taylor noted that he was hampered by a sore lower back during the 1987 season, and during that summer had issues with a torn muscle in his arm.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-1988-04-13-taylor-healthy/139854680/ |title=Taylor healthy once again |newspaper=The Lima News |location=Lima, Ohio |page=C2 |date=April 13, 1988 |accessdate=January 29, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} He was named the team's outstanding pitcher for 1988,{{rp|3–4}} having recorded 87 strikeouts in {{frac|83|1|3}} innings pitched (9.4 strikeouts per nine innings pitched) while posting a 4–5 record with a 3.24 ERA.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-1988-06-06-around-the-camp/139860722/ |title=Around the campuses |newspaper=The Lima News |location=Lima, Ohio |page=C2 |date=June 6, 1988 |accessdate=January 29, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sentinel-tribune-1988-05-24-mac-honors/139858106/ |title=BG's Kevin Ward on MAC first team |newspaper=Sentinel Tribune |location=Bowling Green, Ohio |page=12 |date=May 24, 1988 |accessdate=January 29, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} Taylor was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 28th round of the 1988 MLB draft;{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/T/Ptayls001.htm |title=Scott Taylor |website=Retrosheet |accessdate=June 19, 2023}} he signed with the team the following week.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sentinel-tribune-1988-06-08-taylor-signs/139861722/ |title=Taylor signs with Red Sox |newspaper=Sentinel Tribune |location=Bowling Green, Ohio |page=16 |date=June 8, 1988 |accessdate=January 29, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

Taylor made his professional debut in 1988 with the Elmira Pioneers, a Class A Short Season affiliate of the Red Sox. He was limited to just {{frac|3|2|3}} innings due to a tender left bicep muscle.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-1988-08-29-taylor-has-frus/139864241/ |title=Taylor has frustrating summer |newspaper=The Lima News |location=Lima, Ohio |page=C2 |date=August 29, 1988 |accessdate=January 29, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} In 1989, he played for the Class A Lynchburg Red Sox in the Carolina League, making 19 appearances (nine starts) while pitching to a 5–3 record with a 2.89 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=taylor001rod |title=Scott Taylor Minor Leagues Statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=February 13, 2024}}

Taylor first reached the Double-A level in 1990, and the Triple-A level in 1991. Taylor was a September call-up for Boston in both 1992 and 1993, appearing in four games (one start) from mid-September through the end of the season in 1992,{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1992/Ktayls0010011992.htm |title=The 1992 BOS A Regular Season Pitching Log for Scott Taylor |website=Retrosheet |accessdate=June 22, 2023}} and in 16 games (all in relief) during the final month of the 1993 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1993/Ktayls0010021993.htm |title=The 1993 BOS A Regular Season Pitching Log for Scott Taylor |website=Retrosheet |accessdate=June 22, 2023}} In 20 total major-league appearances (one start), Taylor pitched to a 1–2 record with an ERA of 6.31; he struck out 15 batters in {{frac|25|2|3}} innings pitched.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/t/taylosc01.shtml|title=Scott Taylor Stats |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=September 10, 2014}}

Taylor was released by the Red Sox at the end of spring training in 1994, then underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left rotator cuff,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-taylor-hopeful-of-another/126854090/ |title=Taylor hopeful of another shot |first=Tom |last=Usher |newspaper=The Lima News |location=Lima, Ohio |page=D1 |date=May 12, 1994 |accessdate=June 21, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} causing him to miss the 1994 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-taylor-fires-shutout-innin/126854237/ |title=Taylor fires shutout innings |newspaper=The Lima News |location=Lima, Ohio |page=D1 |date=April 14, 1995 |accessdate=June 21, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} He played a final professional season in 1995, at the Triple-A level in the Pacific Coast League with the Calgary Cannons, a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=taylor001rod |title=Scott Taylor Minor Leagues Statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=June 19, 2023}}

In 1999, Taylor was inducted to the athletic hall of fame of his high school in Ohio.{{cite news |url=https://www.defiancecityschools.org/ScottTaylorinductedin1999in199.aspx |title=Scott Taylor inducted in 1999 |website=defiancecityschools.org |accessdate=June 21, 2023}}

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{{Baseballstats| mlb=123153| espn=| br=t/taylosc01| brm=taylor001rod |retro=T/Ptayls001}}, or [https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=taylosc01 Baseball Almanac]

• [https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/scott-taylor-2/ Scott Taylor] at SABR Bio Project

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Scott}}

Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Defiance, Ohio

Category:Baseball players from Ohio

Category:Major League Baseball pitchers

Category:Boston Red Sox players

Category:Bowling Green Falcons baseball players

Category:Calgary Cannons players

Category:Elmira Pioneers players

Category:Lynchburg Red Sox players

Category:New Britain Red Sox players

Category:Pawtucket Red Sox players

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada

Category:20th-century American sportsmen