Former Tiger Starts His Pro Career in Grand Fashion

A former Clemson standout’s pro career is off to a strong start.

Will Taylor logged his first professional hit in grand fashion Thursday night, launching a grand slam for the Bradenton Marauders (Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates).

The grand slam came in the bottom of the second inning against the Dunedin Blue Jays (Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays). Taylor also drew a walk in Thursday’s contest and scored a second run.

Taylor was drafted by the Pirates in the fifth round (No. 145 overall pick) of the 2024 MLB Draft and signed in July.

Taylor, an outfielder who was a wide receiver on the Clemson football team in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, decided to play baseball full time on July 12, 2023. He played his first fall season with the baseball team in 2023.

One of the most athletic players on the team with good speed, Taylor was one of the Tigers’ top hitters during the second half of the 2023 season before suffering an injury in mid-April 2024 and missing the rest of this past season.

For the Tigers, Taylor was a career .313 hitter with a .484 slugging percentage and .470 on-base percentage in 107 games (105 starts) over three seasons. The Irmo, S.C., native had 18 doubles, three triples, 13 homers, 69 RBIs, 109 runs, 90 walks, 24 hit-by-pitches and 18 steals.