Pittsburgh Pirates recruit Will Taylor from Clemson in 2024 MLB Draft
CLEMSON – Clemson baseball outfielder Will Taylor was selected 145th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft on Monday.
Taylor gave up football to play baseball full-time at Clemson. The 145th pick has a slot value of $471,400.
Based on our own observations during his tenure at Clemson, Taylor brings the following to Pittsburgh:
What Will Taylor brings to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2024 MLB Draft
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Taylor could have been selected in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina, but chose to play two sports at Clemson. Taylor is a tough, strong athlete who had his best season in 2023. He batted .362 with 23 extra-base hits (including five home runs), 46 RBIs and 11 stolen bases and won the award as the team’s most improved player.
Taylor is also very disciplined at bat, recording 48 walks in 2023, leading Clemson, and 33 the following year. However, he has had injury concerns. As a freshman, he tore a ligament in his right knee while playing football, which led to two surgeries.
MORE: Where Clemson Baseball Landed in USA TODAY’s Top 25 After NCAA Super Regional Run
The South Carolinian native also broke his left wrist in April, limiting him to a .230 batting average in 32 games in 2024. MLB.com says he’s still strong as a right-hander, but his quickness and momentum in the running routes and outfield have waned. Still, he improved his speed at the MLB Combine, when he ran a 3.609 second 30-yard dash, the fifth-fastest time of the event.
Will Taylor’s stats at Clemson Baseball
In 368 at-bats in 107 games, Taylor recorded:
- .313 batting average
- 13 home runs
- 69 RBIs
- 18 steel bases
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00