Taylor's stock with Nationals has dropped after rough season

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 after a promising rookie season struggled when given a chance to play this year.

PLAYER REVIEW: MICHAEL A. TAYLOR

Age on opening day 2017: 26

How acquired: Sixth-round pick, 2009 draft

MLB service time: 2 years

2016 salary: $524,900

Contract status: Under team control in 2017, arbitration-eligible in 2018, free agent in 2021
2016 stats: 76 G, 237 PA, 221 AB, 28 R, 51 H, 11 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 14 SB, 3 CS, 14 BB, 77 SO, .231 AVG, .278 OBP, .376 SLG, .654 OPS, -0.3 WAR

Quotable: "Like I told him, you go down there and work. It told him that it happened to Kolten Wong, he went down. It happened to Michael Conforto. Just go get yourself together. It happened to Byron Buxton in Minnesota. And so it was really tough, but I just told him just go down and no pouting, you just go down there and get more determined to get your act together and come back." - Dusty Baker, after Michael A. Taylor was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on July 4

2016 analysis: Few players on the Nationals roster entered this season with higher hopes attached to them than Michael A. Taylor. A promising rookie campaign, followed by a lights-out spring, left many wondering if he merited a regular spot in the lineup ahead of Jayson Werth.

That didn't happen, but Taylor did get a prolonged shot at playing center field on a daily basis after Ben Revere strained an oblique muscle on opening day. Dusty Baker had Taylor assume Revere's leadoff spot, though, and that was not a good fit for the free-swinging outfielder.

Taylor hit .183 with a .218 on-base percentage in April, striking out 28 times in 87 plate appearances. Once Revere returned healthy, he was relegated to bench duties, then eventually to a spot in the lineup at Triple-A Syracuse, where he spent part of July and all of August.

Brought back as a September call-up, Taylor didn't play much down the stretch. He did, however, snag a surprise spot on the Nats roster for the National League Division Series. Taylor got two at-bats in the series, striking out each time.

2017 outlook: There's no denying Taylor's athletic abilities. He runs well. He makes spectacular catches in the outfield. He's capable of hitting a baseball as well as anybody on the roster. But at this point, there's also no denying his inability to harness those skills and use them productively on a consistent basis.

Taylor now has 791 major league plate appearances, during which time he has hit .228 with a .281 on-base percentage, .363 slugging percentage and a staggering 252 strikeouts. Is there legitimate reason to believe he's going to improve enough in each of those categories to merit regular playing time in the big leagues?

The Nationals have to decide if there is reason for improvement. If so, Taylor can yet be a valuable part of this team for years to come. If not, though, they may reach the point where they're not gaining much by continually throwing him to the wolves and watching him get swallowed up by the pack.