Jeff Taylor (minors01)

Jeffrey Craig Taylor

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 200 lb.
• School University of Delaware
• High School Newark High School
• Born February 9, 1956 in Wilmington, DE USA
• Died November 17, 2014 in Newark, DE USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Jeff Taylor pitched in the minor leagues from 1978 to 1981, winning an ERA title, and then became a scout.

He was initially taken by the Texas Rangers in the 28th round of the 1977 amateur draft, but opted not to sign. He was then taken by the New York Yankees in the 9th round of the 1978 amateur draft, ahead of infielder Howard Johnson, and inked a contract.

He was 6-2 with a 2.19 ERA in 13 games (seven starts) for the Oneonta Yankees his first campaign, finishing third in the New York-Penn League in ERA, behind Scott Gleckel and Bill Earley. He then went 13-2 with a 1.67 ERA in 24 games for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees in 1979. He had seven complete games and four shutouts that year, as well. He led the Florida State League in ERA (.14 over Bill Scherrer), tied Kevin Mendon and Tommy Joe Shimp for 5th in wins and tied Scherrer and Luis Leal for second in shutouts. He walked only 29 in 156 innings and four of those were intentional. He was left off the league All-Star team as Paul Boris, Bob Ojeda, Scherrer and Brian Ryder were picked as the pitchers.

In 1980, he went 2-6 with a 4.27 ERA in 97 innings between the Alexandria Dukes and Nashville Sounds, only to rebound in 1981 to go 5-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 63 frames for the Sounds. He was forced to quit playing due to elbow troubles.

Overall, Taylor went 26-11 with a 2.54 ERA in 78 games (47 starts) in four seasons.

Taylor was head coach at Wilmington College in 1986.

He later scouted for the Yankees, signing Robert Eenhoorn, Frank Lankford and Bill Masse. He also scouted for the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, he served as a Special Assistant to the Cincinnati Reds' general manager.

His identical twin, Steve Taylor, was a first-round draft pick in 1977.