Samad Taylor Bio
Samad Jahad Taylor (born July 11, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder and second baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He currently plays for the San Diego Padres, wearing jersey No. 0, and has previously appeared in the majors with the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Mariners. A switch-hitting utility player known for his speed on the basepaths, Taylor has worked his way up through several minor league systems since being drafted in 2016.
Standing out as a contact hitter and an aggressive base stealer, Taylor built his reputation in the lower levels of the minors before reaching the majors. His professional journey has included stops in Cleveland, Toronto, Kansas City, Seattle, and San Diego organizations.
Early Life and Background
Taylor attended Corona High School in Corona, California, where he developed as a multi-positional baseball prospect. During his high school years, he committed to play college baseball at the University of Arizona for the Arizona Wildcats.
Growing up, Taylor followed several major leaguers closely, including Chone Figgins and José Reyes, both of whom were switch-hitting infielders with speed. These early influences helped shape his approach as a versatile player capable of handling multiple positions.
Path to Baseball
Rather than attend Arizona, Taylor entered professional baseball when he was selected in the 10th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft by the Cleveland Indians. He signed with Cleveland for $125,000 and was assigned to the Rookie-level Arizona League Indians, where he hit .293 with one home run and 14 runs batted in (RBIs) across 32 games.
On July 31, 2017, the Indians traded Taylor and pitcher Thomas Pannone to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for reliever Joe Smith. The Blue Jays moved him quickly through their system, assigning him to the Rookie Advanced Bluefield Blue Jays and then the Vancouver Canadians. In 52 total games that year, Taylor hit .294 with six home runs.
Samad Taylor Career
Early Career (2016–2019)
Taylor played for the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts in 2018, batting .228 with nine home runs and 53 RBI over 121 games. His 44 stolen bases that season marked a major jump from the seven he had the previous year, an improvement he credited to studying pitcher and catcher tendencies.
In 2019, he was promoted to the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays, where he played 108 games and hit .216 with seven home runs, 38 RBI, and 26 steals. After the 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor joined the Canberra Cavalry of the Australian Baseball League from December 2020 to February 2021, gaining valuable at-bats during the offseason.
Toronto Blue Jays Rise (2021–2022)
Taylor spent the 2021 season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats and delivered one of his strongest campaigns, batting .294 with 16 home runs, 52 RBI, and 30 stolen bases in 87 games. He was recognized as a MiLB.com Organization All-Star for his performance. During the offseason, he also played for the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League to gain further experience.
He began 2022 with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons but saw his season disrupted by an injured list stint beginning July 4. Before the injury, he hit .258 with nine home runs and 23 stolen bases in 70 games during his first Triple-A exposure. On August 2, 2022, the Blue Jays traded Taylor and pitcher Max Castillo to the Kansas City Royals for Whit Merrifield.
Kansas City Royals Era (2022–2023)
Following the trade, Taylor played for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .152 with nine stolen bases across 76 plate appearances. On November 10, 2022, the Royals selected his contract to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
He began 2023 with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, hitting .304/.409/.463 with six home runs, 37 RBI, and 34 stolen bases in 62 games. On June 16, 2023, Taylor was promoted to the majors for the first time. The next day, he made his MLB debut and recorded his first major league hit on a walk-off RBI single, a deep fly ball that Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout did not attempt to catch. Taylor split the rest of the year between Kansas City and Omaha, batting .200 with no home runs and eight stolen bases in 31 major league games.
Seattle Mariners Era (2024–2025)
On January 30, 2024, the Royals traded Taylor to the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later or cash considerations, with minor league pitcher Natanael Garabitos completing the deal on March 16. Taylor began 2024 with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and was recalled to the Mariners on April 5. He appeared in three games, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored, before being optioned back to Tacoma on April 8.
He played the rest of 2024 with Tacoma, hitting .262 with 11 home runs. His 50 stolen bases led the Pacific Coast League, finishing ahead of teammate Ryan Bliss, who had 40. The Rainiers broke the league record for most steals in a season that year. On January 15, 2025, Seattle designated Taylor for assignment; he cleared waivers and was sent outright to Tacoma on January 21. In 24 games for Tacoma, he batted .321 with five home runs, 14 RBI, and six stolen bases. He was added to the Mariners’ active roster on April 29 when Dylan Moore went on the injured list and optioned back on May 6 once Moore returned. On January 15, 2026, the Mariners designated him for assignment again following the acquisition of Yosver Zulueta, and he cleared waivers to become a free agent on January 23.
San Diego Padres Era (2026–Present)
On January 24, 2026, Taylor signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He was selected for the active roster on June 3, 2026, replacing Nick Castellanos, who had been designated for assignment. On June 13, 2026, Taylor hit his first MLB home run in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. Through June 19, 2026, he was batting .265 with one home run and 12 RBI for San Diego.
Driving Style and Strengths
Taylor’s game is built around speed and on-base skills. His standout base-stealing totals across multiple minor league levels, including a Pacific Coast League-leading 50 in 2024, highlight his value as a table-setter and pressure creator on the bases.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his most memorable moments are his walk-off MLB debut hit for the Royals in 2023 and his first major league home run with the Padres in June 2026. His record-setting 50-steal season with the Tacoma Rainiers also stands out as a defining statistical milestone.
Samad Taylor Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Taylor’s extended family is limited. He has credited outfielder Mallex Smith, whom he played with in Buffalo in 2022, as a mentor during his development.
Personal Life
Taylor and his wife welcomed their first child in 2024. Outside of baseball, his favorite video game is Call of Duty.
2025 Season Performance
Taylor’s 2025 campaign began with an outright assignment to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers after clearing waivers in January. He performed well in limited action for Tacoma, batting .321 with five home runs, 14 RBI, and six stolen bases across 24 games, earning a brief recall to the Mariners from late April through early May.
During his four-game major league stint, he went 1-for-8 with one run scored before being optioned back to Tacoma when Dylan Moore returned from the injured list. Taylor continued to provide organizational speed and depth in the upper minors throughout the remainder of the season.
After the Mariners designated him for assignment in mid-January 2026, Taylor cleared waivers and signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres, setting the stage for his major league return later that summer.
