As we continue through the MLB offseason, we continue to gather report cards on the 2022 Milwaukee Brewers. In today’s edition, we’re taking a look at Tyrone Taylor.
The Brewers’ outfield got to be a bit crowded this season. With the signings of Hunter Renfroe and Andrew McCutchen, who would be the everyday players became a big question mark. Lorenzo Cain didn’t finish the 2022 season as he was DFA’d once he reached 10 years of MLB service time. However, there were guys that stepped in Cain’s role. Tyrone Taylor was one of those guys, and he definitely was solidifying himself in the Brewers outfield.
Overall Grade: B+
Once Cain bid his farewell, Taylor was stepping into the role of the everyday center fielder. Prior to the 2021 season, he was bouncing back and forth between the minor and major leagues. It wasn’t until 2021 that Taylor saw some big major league minutes. In 2021, Taylor hit .247 with 12 home runs, 43 batted in, and an OPS of .778. He was projected to do about the same in 2022.
Now that fans were going to see his name consistently in the lineup, he really had to live up to playing those big minutes. The big key to his success this season was finally being able to stay healthy. This is aside of a 13-game stint on the injured list following a concussion in Pittsburgh back in July, but since then, Taylor’s been able to stay healthy.
Offensive Production
There wasn’t really any inconsistencies with the way Taylor approached at the plate. However, even though he posted a line of /233/.286/.442 with an OPS of .278, his batting average of .233 was kind of disappointing. He did a great job of being able to hit for extra bases as he smacked 21 out of the park, 21 doubles, and even three triples.
In addition to the disappointing batting average, Taylor was striking out more and walked less than last season. While he had a 69% barrel percentage, the offensive production could’ve been better in terms of producing more. Sure, he knocked some out of the park and gained some extra base hits, but with all the young talent emerging from Nashville that potentially offer more offensively, Taylor could see himself getting pushed into a backup role.
Career wise, 2022 was a great season for him. Taylor tacked on career highs in hits (80), doubles (17), runs (47), total bases (154), XBH (37), and home runs (21). He was averaging a homer per every 20.7 at bat.
Defensive Production
It wasn’t no Gold Glove season, but there were definitely some plays Taylor made that put him within that discussion; He arguably was one of the better defenders for the Brewers. Taylor made 71 starts in CF, 19 in RF, and eight in LF. He accounted for six outs above average, which was ranked third among the team and 50th in the majors. He also accounted for six defensive runs saved.
Probably the biggest highlight for Tyrone Taylor this season was when he robbed David Peralta of the Tampa Bay Rays of a huge home-run back in August. It definitely gave you a little bit of Cain vibes in the way he made the catch.
Going Forward
As for 2023, everything is all up in the air for Milwaukee. The way he produced in 2022 plus his versatility and relatively low salary of $711,000 makes him favorable to keep on the team. However, we need to keep in mind that the Brewers also have Garrett Mitchell on their major league roster that has definitely been a key player for the crew since his August promotion.
There are other guys such as Sal Frelick, Joey Weimer, and Esteury Ruiz that all have been outstanding in Triple A Nashville that could see some major league minutes next season. This all puts Taylor’s solidified spot at risk of not being so solidified. If anything, fans could probably expect Taylor to be that fourth man in the outfield. But overall, Tyrone Taylor had a pretty impressive 2022 season; Definitely an improvement from previous years and he showed a lot of potential.
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