The Mariners announced that infielder/outfielder Samad Taylor has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency. He was designated for assignment last week when Seattle acquired right-hander Yosver Zulueta. Taylor had a previous career outright, which gave him the right to head to the open market this time.
Taylor, 27, has a small and unimpressive big league track record. He has appeared in 83 games over the past three seasons, split between the Royals and Mariners. He has stepped to the plate 83 times and produced a .205/.272/.260 line. However, he stole eight bases in that time without getting caught and has lined up defensively at second base, third base and all three outfield slots.
His offense has been better in the minors. Over the past four years, he has stepped to the plate 1,950 times at the Triple-A level. His 21.8% strikeout rate in that sample is fairly average but his 12.1% walk rate is quite strong. He has a combined .281/.373/.432 line in that stretch for a 108 wRC+. His base-stealing abilities have also been demonstrated more there, with 160 swipes in 200 attempts.
There’s appeal in a utility guy with wheels and a good eye at the plate but it seems that clubs deem Taylor just shy of rosterability. The Mariners passed him through outright waivers almost exactly one year ago, on January 21st of 2025. He was added back to the roster in April but spent most of the year on optional assignment. He exhausted his final option in the process, making it even harder for him to hold a roster spot.
Now that he has been outrighted a second time, he has the right to elect free agency. He has exercised that right and heads to the open market for the first time. Since he just cleared waivers, it can be assumed no club is willing to give him a 40-man spot. He will therefore be looking at minor league offers, with pitchers and catchers reporting in just over two weeks.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Brashear, Imagn Images