Baseball Prospectus No. 3 Nats prospect: Michael A. Taylor

A few of the prospects on the Nationals' top 10 list by Baseball Prospectus got a chance to showcase their talents on the biggest stage this past season. Steven Souza Jr. made an impact with a couple of mammoth home runs and an unforgettable no-hitter-saving catch. Michael A. Taylor also made his presence known with a home run early in his first week at the Mets, and demonstrated a very nice swing at the plate. He also showed he could play plus-plus defense in center field for the Nationals. No. 3: outfielder Michael A. Taylor Chris Mellen, co-director of the Baseball Prospectus prospect team, said Taylor has the tools to play center field in the majors. "Without a doubt, he profiles as a center fielder. The glove can be above average easily, maybe better," Mellen said. "He can handle himself on the bases as well. He's athletic, he's got speed, he's got very loud tools. This is a player who kind of has always been that toolsy type, and in the last 18 months or so it's been starting to put those tools together and it has translated to production in the upper levels." Mellen said they would like him to cut down on strikeouts, which is always the case with most young hitters. Taylor worked on that issue throughout last season. He had 130 strikeouts in 98 games with Double-A Harrisburg. "From a scouting standpoint in that perspective, people who have seen him, I've seen him a little bit, contacts have told me as well with a lot of reports, are a little bit concerned with the amount of swing-and-miss in his game," Mellen said. "And kind of the wildness he shows at the plate, he gets out on his front foot quite a bit, brings his hands too far forward and swing over top of it. It's definitely something that he still has gaps to close even though he made his major league debut. There's still a lot of development to go, and there's still a lot of potential outcomes. "He has the tools, the ability that speaks to a guy that could be an occasional All-Star at the major league level. There's still some time he will need to marinate and make adjustments to get him to that feeling. There's value in the defense and running ability. You know you don't have to produce a ton in center field. If you do bring outfield to that position, you are an All-Star, you are an elite player. He's got some floor there. "He definitely is a guy that can take advantage of a big stadium and can hit a little bit. He will need to learn how to lay off some pitches or fight them off." Broadcast note: With the Winter Meetings under way, I will be a part of "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" this week - today and Wednesday. So check in on MASN HD from 5-7 p.m. as we react to each day's baseball headlines, especially as they relate to the Nationals.