The Seattle Mariners acquired infielder/outfielder Samad Taylor from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. With the move, Seattle's 40-man roster is now full. The 25-year-old will now head to the Mariners after being traded for the third time in his career. He made his major-league debut in 2023 with the Royals and struggled, going 12-for-60 (.200) with no home runs, four RBI, eight stolen bases and 22 strikeouts in 69 plate appearances over 31 games played. However, Taylor slashed a strong .301/.418/.466 with eight home runs and 43 stolen bases at Triple-A Omaha last year and has elite speed on the basepaths. Taylor is likely to open the year at Triple-A Tacoma, but his speed and defensive versatility should make him a bench option in Seattle at some point in 2024.
The Kansas City Royals recalled infielder/outfielder Samad Taylor from Triple-A Omaha on Friday and optioned infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton to Omaha in a corresponding move. Taylor, the team's No. 19 prospect per MLB Pipeline, gets his first call to the big leagues after slashing .304/.409/.463 with an .871 OPS, 16 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 37 RBI, 34 stolen bases and 50 runs scored in 291 plate appearances over 62 games for Omaha this year. The 24-year-old's major draw is his speed, but he can also hit, and fantasy managers need take notice if he finds his way into the Royals' lineup on a regular basis. For a second baseman, Taylor has a pretty intriguing mix of power and speed.
Kansas City Royals second base prospect Samad Taylor went 3-for-3 with a home run and walk for Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday. Taylor, 24, is now hitting a healthy .305 with five home runs, 36 RBI and 31 stolen bases. Taylor was one of the pieces acquired from the Blue Jays for Whit Merrifield last year and offers an exciting blend of power and speed out of the second base position. With the Royals getting little production at the keystone, it only makes sense for the club to give Taylor an opportunity at some point this year. His speed can be helpful to managers and he is worth keeping an eye on in all formats.
Kansas City Royals infield prospect Samad Taylor is coming off a strong opening series in which he went 6-for-14 with a triple and homer, all while driving in six runs and stealing two bases. It was promising to see him post strong offensive results after he seemed to regress at the plate in 2022. Taylor was on the move last summer when the Royals acquired him from the Blue Jays in exchange for Whit Merrifield. This midseason move could have had an impact on the infielder's subpar numbers at the plate, and it also indicates that he could get back on track with a smoother, less chaotic season ahead of him. Despite being undersized at 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds, Taylor is an aggressive, toolsy player who can generate bat speed and put the ball in play. What he lacks in power, he makes up for with speed, allowing him to hustle around the basepaths quite naturally. Additionally, Taylor has the range and glovework needed to stick in the middle of the infield (likely second base) long-term.
