BELOIT — Evan Taylor figures when the game is on the line, just hand him the ball.
“I love what I do,” the 6-foot-4, 250-pound left-handed native of Florence, Ala., said at Thursday’s media day for the Beloit Sky Carp. “Some guys like to start games, but I prefer relieving.”
He got to do plenty of that last season, with 50 appearances with the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads who won the 2023 Florida State League. While he was only 2-7, in save opportunities he was 20-for-21 with a 2.18 earned run average. In 53 2-3 innings, he allowed only 21 walks and struck out 70. Opponents hit .246 off him.
“Some guys love to get in the routine of being a starter, but I’m not one of them,” he said. “I started in high school and some in summer ball, but I was a reliever in college. If you’re starting, you have to plan your whole week around it. You have to get into the same routine and some guys love that. Some guys are good with sitting out there (in the bullpen) and getting the adrenaline spike when they call their name.”
That’s Taylor. He played four seasons at the University of Arkansas and was drafted in the 9th round of the 2022 draft by the Miami Marlins, the No. 262 pick overall. His final year with the Razorbacks, he made 33 relief appearances, going 5-0 with a 3.65 ERA and two saves in 44 1-3 innings. He struck out 54 and batters hit just .179 off him.
He was thrilled when the Marlins continued to use him out of the pen.
“I don’t want to plan out the week, I want to figure out how I can be ready tomorrow,” the Sky Carp said. “I also like that if I have a bad day on Tuesday, by Thursday I’m out there throwing again and I can flush Tuesday.”
Giving a scouting report on himself, Taylor said, “I throw around 92 (mph), but you can expect that I’m going to be throwing a slider. That’s my best pitch for sure.”
He also throws strikes as hise low walk total would indicate.
“You have to throw strikes to be an effective reliever,” he said. “You’re always trying to minimize the damage.”
Taylor said the sometimes nasty early-season weather forecasts don’t concern him.
“I went to school in northwest Arkansas,” he said. “February in Arkansas is equally as cold as this. We played a bunch of games in 30-40 degree weather when it was super windy. We played games when we shoveled snow out of the outfield. So I’m not unfamiliar with throwing in cold weather.
“Besides, the advantage is definitely to the pitcher. He’s throwing every pitch and he gets a sweat going. Your body temperature is high. As long as you can keep your hands warm, you’re fine. They’ve been sitting on deck and in the batter’s box getting cold. And it hurts when they hit it wrong.”
Taylor said he’s impressed with the talent on the Sky Carp staff, particularly young pitchers Karson Milbradnt (19) and Jacob Miller (20).
“Karson and Jacob Miller were playing high school baseball two years ago,” Taylor said. “I was in college for four years and a lot of other pitchers here had at least three years of college ball. You get to do a lot of growing up with three years on your own. Everything we had the luxury of figuring out in college, they’re doing that now. The talent level is a big jump, too, but those guys are incredibly talented. For me, I would not have benefited from being a high school draft pick. I had a lot of growing up to do through college.”
He also changed some pitching mechanics in college. He figures now he has the tools. It’s just finding the where-with-all. That’s where pitching coach Jason Erickson comes in.
“Erickson is the man,” Taylor said. “He knows what he is talking about and he is genuinely a nice person. I think the role of an A-ball pitching coach is different. Everyone here has good stuff. Learning how to use it is what’s important. We’re all still learning or we wouldn’t be here. “
On top of a great pitching line for the season, Taylor said his other mission is to always be available when called upon.
“I would love to finish another season healthy,” he said. “I pride myself on not missing time and being on the (injured list). I never was on it in college. That’s a big thing for me.”
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