In the Modern day of analytics, baseball has changed in several ways, some for the better, many for the worst. Measurables dominate evaluations, and data drives the formation of lineups and in-game decisions made by managers.
But, not always.
Sometimes a baseball player comes along that makes you close your computer and open your eyes, and you’re getting ready to read all about one with 2022 Draft Pick Taylor Young.
Dirt-Bag
Young grew up in West Monroe, Louisiana, with the nickname “dirt-bag”, because as long as anyone can remember, he’s always been the grittiest player on his teams and came home with the dirtiest uniform.
He’s only 5’9, which certainly isn’t big, and he doesn’t throw the ball 100 mph, but if you let those facts get in the way, you’re going to be missing out.
On a lot!
While Young may not plug into modern-day computers, the grit, and intelligence that he plays the game with overcomes all and can best be described with one simple comment.
You want him on YOUR team.
Young is simply the toughest, grittiest, and smartest player on the field, every time he takes the field, and that will never change, not at any level.
West Monroe
Young had the great fortune of playing on great High School teams at West Monroe High, and for a great High School coach, Wade Simoneaux. If that name sounds familiar, that’s because it should, because he was the Head Coach at Louisiana Tech for over a decade and was the WAC Coach of the Year in 2007.
Simoneaux came to West Monroe in between Young’s Freshman and Sophomore years and inherited a roster full of talent. As an example of how much talent has been walking the halls of West Monroe, in 2017, Young’s Senior year, all 9 starters on the Rebels baseball team played D-1 either in baseball or football. That team won 38 games and made the State Finals, and in this past year, 2022, West Monroe won the State Title. Here’s what Young had to say about his experience as a Rebel.
“I had Coach Simoneaux for 3 years and it was great. You never know what to expect with a new coach coming in, but he made the transition easy on us. And I think we made it pretty easy on him too the older we got because we were pretty dang stacked. It was pretty incredible”
Despite being a great player on a great team, and having intangibles that stuck out, being 5’9 made it hard for Young to get seen, and he didn’t garner interest from schools in the SEC. But, keep reading and you’ll know that they are the ones who missed out. And on a lot.
Louisiana Tech
Young’s first college offer came from Northwestern State in Natchitoches, Louisiana, an offer he and his family weren’t sure would ever come. Young’s size made it easy for him to be overlooked, so when the Demons offered it was an exciting moment and one that his family celebrated.
But it wasn’t the only offer that was headed his way.
Lane Burroughs, a coach that Young still considers to be like a 2nd father, had just been hired at Louisiana Tech, and was looking to fill the Bulldogs roster with his kind of players. Burroughs had been the Northwestern State Head coach, the school where Young got his first offer, but was not actually the coach that made that offer. It was the coaching staff that took over after Burroughs left that made the offer to Young.
In fact, Burroughs had never seen Young play when he brought him to the LA Tech campus and offered him a scholarship. He had only “heard” of the “type” of player that Young was, and that was good enough for him to offer “sight unseen” and, as they say, the rest is history.
Historic Career
During his 5 year career, Young became the all-time hits leader in the history of the Tech program and was the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year as a Junior. This past year, as a Senior, he was the C-USA Tournament MVP, First Team All-Conference, and an All-American.
And if you ask those that followed him at Tech, they’ll tell you that “he’s just getting started.”
The Bulldogs baseball program saw a rebirth during his time in Ruston getting a new stadium, the Love Shack, and winning games and drawing interest the likes of which the program has never seen before. It was a great experience and one that Young looks back fondly on.
“When I went to Tech to visit, Coach Burroughs just hooked me. There was something about that place and he told me that I was his type of player and that he wanted me to come to Tech, so after that the rest is history.”
Young continued
“The fans at Louisiana Tech were incredible. They show up and show out and they’ve continued to do that since really my Junior year. We’ve sold out and maxed out the stands every year so everyone shows up to support the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. It’s the place to be as a mid-major school and I can’t express enough what Coach Burroughs, Coach Gaspard, and Coach Fouts have done.”
The Love Shack
One of the aspects that have led to the resurgence of Bulldog baseball has been Love field. In 2019 a tornado came through Ruston and blew down the old facility and the new “Love Field” was rebuilt into one of the best in the Country.
Love Field is best known as the “love shack” and that term became more than just a name to Young when he proposed to his girlfriend, now fiance, after this past season had ended. Young and his teammates were having one last get-together at the stadium and at the end of the night, he proposed standing at shortstop, a spot on earth that means so much to him.
And everything went perfectly.
The rally train came by just as they were walking on the field as if it was a scene cut right out of a movie, and, of course, she said yes. It was an experience he will never forget.
“Our season ended at Texas so I told my girlfriend, now fiance, that I wanted to be at the Love Shack one more time and asked her if she would walk out to shortstop with me. Right as we crossed the foul line the rally train drove by, so we were looking at the scoreboard with the rally train in the background when it lit up asking if she would marry me. She busted out boohooing, so it was perfect.”
Feature Cut
Young left Louisiana Tech as the school’s all-time hits leader, hit .330 for his career, had an on-base percentage of .468, and set the record for runs scored in a season twice during his time as a Bulldog. He hit .287 in his 108 at-bats with Rancho Cucamonga this year after he was drafted, so he has proven to be a table setter that knows how to get on, get over, then get in.
He also drove in 51 runs last year in College in 64 games, so he knows how to come up with the big hit as well.
One of the first things that stands out about Young is how short his swing is. The following videos are of his last college home run, then his first 2 as a professional. Notice that, even when he hits a home run, his swing is compact. There is no wasted movement in his swing and it is kept simple enough that not a lot can go wrong with it.
The Entire Field
Although Young has pop and can hit home runs, the long ball certainly isn’t what defines his offensive game. His ability to stay short, stay inside the ball, and use the entire field is a huge factor as to what makes him such a great hitter.
Young has a lot of talent and equal parts toughness grit and intelligence. His style of play made him a fan favorite at Tech, and it will have the same effect on Dodgers fans because he’s the kind of player that does so many things to help a team win. And Dodgers fans love winners.
Actually, as Coach Burroughs likes to say, everyone likes a winner, and that’s what this young man is.
If I could give Dodgers fans a word of advice, it would be to make it a point to watch this guy play, and when you do, just remember to put down your computer and use your eyes. You’ll fall in love with what you see, just like they did at Tech, at West Monroe, and everywhere else his skills have been put on display.
When you watch him you might think that he is old school, a throwback, or any other such term along that genre, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Heck, his coaches have been calling him a Dirt Bag for as long as he can remember. But, what he ultimately is, is a winner and one that is very good at the game of baseball.
In closing, I would like to thank Taylor for joining Dodgers Daily, it was a pleasure getting to talk with this young man and having the opportunity to tell at least a part of his story. I am in total agreement with Coach Burroughs in the fact that he is my kind of player.
