Taylor played high school baseball in his hometown of
Defiance, Ohio. Taylor played
college baseball for three seasons with the
Bowling Green Falcons, receiving all-
Mid-American Conference (MAC) honorable mention in 1986 and 1987, and second-team honors in 1988. Taylor noted that he was hampered by a sore lower back during the 1987 season, and during that summer had issues with a torn muscle in his arm. He was named the team's outstanding pitcher for 1988, Taylor was selected by the
Boston Red Sox in the 28th round of the
1988 MLB draft; he signed with the team the following week. Taylor made his professional debut in 1988 with the
Elmira Pioneers, a
Class A Short Season affiliate of the Red Sox. In 1989, he played for the
Class A Lynchburg Red Sox in the
Carolina League, making 19 appearances (nine starts) while pitching to a 5–3 record with a 2.89 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched. Taylor first reached the
Double-A level in 1990, and the
Triple-A level in 1991. and in 16 games (all in relief) during the final month of the 1993 season. In 20 total major-league appearances (one start), Taylor pitched to a 1–2 record with an ERA of 6.31; he struck out 15 batters in
innings pitched. Taylor was released by the Red Sox at the end of
spring training in 1994, then underwent
arthroscopic surgery on his left
rotator cuff, causing him to miss the 1994 season. He played a final professional season in 1995, at the Triple-A level in the
Pacific Coast League with the
Calgary Cannons, a
farm team of the
Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1999, Taylor was inducted to the athletic hall of fame of his high school in Ohio. == Notes ==