LSU pitcher Grant Taylor selected by Chicago White Sox in 2023 MLB Draft

LSU right-handed pitcher Grant Taylor has been selected in the 2023 MLB Draft, taken by the Chicago White Sox with the No. 51 overall pick, in the second round of the draft.

Taylor did not pitch for the Tigers in 2023 after suffering a UCL injury.

However, prior to the 2023 campaign, Taylor had made quite a name for himself in the Cape Cod Baseball League over the summer. He threw 21 innings there, posting a 2.14 ERA in the process against some quality hitting.

That came on the heels of a decent freshman campaign for the Tigers in 2022. Taylor pitched in 17 games and made two starts, collecting a 4-1 record on the mound with a 5.81 ERA. He struck out 39 batters in 31.0 innings of work.

Perfect Game evaluated Grant Taylor at the 2020 National Showcase and had the following to say:

“Grant Taylor is a 2021 RHP/1B with a 6-3 220 lb. frame from Florence, AL who attends Florence. Big broad shoulder strong athlete. Multi-piece delivery with some deception to the plate, drop and drive mechanics, hides the ball well in back, high 3/4’s arm slot.

“Fastball topped out at 92 mph, mostly straight, can spot his fastball effectively to both sides of the plate. Commands his soft curveball well with some 11/5 shape. Mature right hander with good feel for pitching and a strong arm.”

More on the 2023 MLB Draft

The 2023 Major League Baseball Draft will begin during All-Star week, with the first two rounds getting underway at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 9. Rounds 3-10 will then begin at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, July 10, with rounds 11-20 starting at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 11.

This year’s MLB Draft is a historic one, as a draft lottery was used to determine the order for the first time. The Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics each had a 16.5% chance to receive the No. 1 overall pick. Ultimately, Pittsburgh won the right to have the first selection, with Washington finishing right behind them at No. 2. Oakland, however, fell all the way down to No. 6 overall.

While the MLB Draft is always unpredictable, the consensus is that this year’s top prospects both hail from LSU, who won the 2023 College World Series. Pitcher Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews headline this year’s class, which is considered a deep one.

Within the first ten rounds of the draft, each slot is assigned a certain value. Each team has a bonus pool that they are able to spend on these picks, and players will sign at, above or below their assigned slot value.

In rounds 11-20, there is no assigned slot value and MLB teams are free to spend up to $150,000 to sign their picks from the second half of the draft. If they exceed the $150,000 mark, that added amount will be deducted from their bonus pool.

Following the final day of the 2023 MLB Draft, selected players will have until August 1 to sign a contract.