Clemson quarterback wins state Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year

CLEMSON — Will Taylor continues to make a name for himself in baseball.

The Clemson quarterback has been named the South Carolina Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year. He just arrived on campus last week, but he’s not done receiving recognition for his senior season of high school baseball.

Taylor is projected to be a first-round pick in next month’s MLB Draft, ranked as 27th-overall prospect in the class per MLB.com. This spring he hit .450 with seven home runs, 33 RBIs and 34 runs scored as an outfielder on a Dutch Fork team that made an appearance in the Class 5A district championship. He added 21 stolen bases while boasting a .586 on-base percentage.

“Will Taylor has one of the greatest work ethics of any player I’ve ever coached,” Dutch Fork High coach Casey Waites said in a release. “He has MLB power and speed. He is all business when he crosses the lines to play, and his baseball knowledge is at a very high level.”

Will Taylor is a first-round talent in baseball. (Will Taylor/Instagram)

Taylor signed to be a two-sport athlete at Clemson, but he will also have the opportunity to leave for the MLB before even taking a snap under center for the Tigers. The 6-foot, 170-pound quarterback’s baseball draft stock is of note for several reasons, most notably that D.J. Uiagalelei is currently the only healthy, scholarship quarterback on campus who has playing experience.

A three-star football prospect, Clemson was one of the only schools to offer Taylor. But now that he is on campus the Tigers need the depth he brings to the room as a freshman.

As Taylor’s stock rises, so does the other 2021 quarterback recruit brought in — Bubba Chandler. The two freshman quarterbacks Clemson is relying on for depth could both be leaving for the MLB ranks in less than a month. Chandler is the 19th-ranked prospect on the MLB.com board and a four-star quarterback prospect. A right-handed pitcher, he’s touching the upper 90s with his fastball and has a slider and cutter that has been jumping out to MLB scouts.

Getting both quarterbacks on campus and immersed in summer workouts is big for the Tigers. But with the MLB Draft approaching, how long or if they will even be on the roster come fall is a real question.

Will Taylor was named South Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year on Tuesday. Up next could be a first-round selection in next month’s MLB Draft.