Breakthrough season changed Nats' outlook on Taylor

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Michael A. Taylor, who for the third straight year was given a chance to play every day and finally made the most of it.

PLAYER REVIEW: MICHAEL A. TAYLOR

Age on opening day 2018: 27

How acquired: Sixth-round pick, 2009 draft

MLB service time: 3 years, 10 days

2017 salary: $557,900

Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2018. Free agent in 2021.

2017 stats: 118 G, 432 PA, 399 AB, 55 R, 108 H, 23 2B, 3 3B, 19 HR, 53 RBI, 17 SB, 7 CS, 29 BB, 137 SO, .271 AVG, .320 OBP, .486 SLG, .806 OPS, 9 DRS, 3.1 WAR

Quotable: "He takes good routes. He has an outstanding arm. And he wants the ball hit to him. And that's what your center fielder's for. You've got to want the ball hit to you. He's taking charge in the outfield, and he's playing good baseball, period." - Former manager Dusty Baker on Taylor

2017 analysis: When Denard Span got hurt in April 2015, Taylor was given a chance to take over as the Nationals' starting center fielder. He didn't make the most of it. When Ben Revere got hurt in April 2016, Taylor was again given a chance to take over as starting center fielder. He again didn't make the most of it. So when Adam Eaton tore his ACL in April 2017, there wasn't a ton of optimism that Taylor would make the most of yet another opportunity to be the Nats' starting center fielder.

This time, though, was different. Taylor did make the necessary adjustments, learning how to control his swing better, how to drive the ball to center and right fields instead of pulling everything, and erasing many of the careless mistakes he used to make in the field and on the bases. The end result was a breakthrough season for the young outfielder, who wound up as one of only four major league center fielders to hit at least 19 homers and steal at least 17 bases.

Taylor really shone with his glove and his arm. FanGraphs rated him the second-best defensive center fielder in baseball, narrowly bested by Twins phenom Byron Buxton. He continued to show off those skills in the postseason while also making a name for himself with an impressive display at the plate. He wound up leading the team with two homers and eight RBIs and was the only Nationals regular to hit better than .211 in the National League Division Series.

2018 outlook: For the first time in his career, Taylor likely will enter a season pegged as the Nationals' starting center fielder (with Eaton probably shifting to left field to replace the departing Jayson Werth). He earned that job with his performance this year. But he'll still need to prove it was more than a one-year blip.

Taylor did make significant strides in refining his approach at the plate, driving the ball to center and right fields far more than he did in the past. But he still has holes in his offensive game. Taylor continues to strike out at an alarming rate (31.7 percent) while rarely drawing walks (6.7 percent). In the long run, he has to show he can make improvements in both departments.

It remains to be seen where the Nationals' new manager prefers to bat Taylor in the lineup. He did well in the typically tough No. 8 spot this season, not fazed by the presence of the pitcher in the on-deck circle. A new manager, though, might believe he's ready to move up a few slots.

The Nats are loaded with outfield depth. Brian Goodwin showed in spurts this season he can play at the big league level, and Victor Robles burst onto the scene in September and wowed a lot of people. Taylor will get first crack at the center field job in 2018, but he'll still need to deliver to hold onto that job.