Taylor, At 6-5 And 210, Brings Size And Projectability

AMELIA - Size and projectability are strong suits that Nathan Taylor is hearing about from college coaches during a recruiting process that has included three visits to date.

“I really like the fields and the facilities,” the 6-5 210-pounded right-handed pitcher said about trips to Cincinnati, Miami and Toledo. “The relationships I’ve built with coaches have been enjoyable. They all feel like really nice places to be.”

Texas Tech, Indiana and Troy, Ala., are other schools that the West Clermont High School junior has been texting with of late.

“I was in a tournament and the day after I pitched I had two phone calls … with Michigan and Indiana,” Taylor explained about when his recruitment took off. “That was at the start of the 2020 summer season. Once I got my first two calls it hit me that this was kind of becoming real.”

Improvement since that point in time has helped the cause for the 19th-rated 2023 right-handed pitcher in Ohio.

“Last year I wasn’t up there with the top-caliber pitchers so I went to Alpha Baseball in Mason and have been working with Greg Williams,” Taylor related. “I did some arm care stuff, worked on my mechanics and boosted my velocity. I’ve also learned how to get guys out rather than just throw.”

The fastball, which was 80-81 topping at 82 during the spring high school season, has jumped.

“I shut down in October, but before that I was 86-88 in a tournament,” the 16-year-old pointed out. “I feel I still need to come up on my velocity. After the shutdown I’m hoping to be 89-90.”

There is more that the 53rd-ranked junior in the state is focused on getting better at when it comes to pitching.

“I’m working on a slider,” Taylor noted. “My last curve was kind of loopy, so I’ve been working on developing a sharper slider.”

Hope is that fits in well with his improved fastball and his “favorite pitch”, a change-up, a pitch which he excelled with at the PBR Ohio Top Prospect Games in June with the fourth-best change induced vertical break.

“I started working with my summer coach Scott Stocker as soon as the summer season ended and working on new grips,” Taylor said. “I found one that I feel comfortable with throwing.”

Taylor also hopes to find a school that is comfortable, one with a strong baseball program that he can call home in the future.

“I don’t want to go somewhere just to be on the team,” Taylor said. “I want to be a factor as early as possible. I want to help the team win games and change the program as much as I can.”

Admittedly, there are some worries with junior year of high school reaching the halfway point.

“It’s definitely been exciting with all the schools reaching out, but it’s kind of nerve-racking watching all the other kids commit,” Taylor related. “It gets scary, but it’s also exciting.”

More exposure is in the future in hopes of finding the perfect home.

“I plan on going to the PBR Procase,” Taylor said in reference to the February event. “They also do live video at the pitching place I go to and I’m also looking at going to more showcases and using Twitter.”

Jordan Chiero, PBR Ohio Director of Scouting, has high praise when it comes to Taylor.

“He's one of the few uncommitted guys we have coming to the ProCase because I think he has a chance to be one of the more sought after arms in the state this spring/summer, if he makes it that long uncommitted,” Chiero said. “It's not a matter of if, but when he takes a jump. You look at all the physical ingredients combined with who he's surrounded by coaching him. He's a good athlete, 6-foot-5, with mid-80s velo currently, a sharp mid-70s breaker, and his high school/summer program/training facility all have a history of turning out dudes. Buy stock here fast.”

A 3.1 student who is uncertain when it comes to a college major, Taylor, who plays travel ball for Midland, is anxious about seeing what lies ahead.

“I have one offer but it’s not really right for me,” Taylor concluded. “Hopefully, a school sees me and makes a move and we go from there. There’s not really a time frame, I just want to take my time and go to the right place. It’s more about finding the right fit for me and a good relationship with the coaches.

“I’d like to stay close to home, but if someone reaches out from far away and it fits what I want, I’d go there. Indiana is about the perfect distance and it’s a good baseball school. Something like that would be perfect.”