New York Yankees History: Brien Taylor Injured in Bar Fight
By David Hill
Brien Taylor was supposed to be the next ace of the New York Yankees. Instead, on this day in 1993, Taylor was injured in a bar fight, ending his career before it really began.
The first overall pick of the 1991 MLB Amateur Draft, Brien Taylor appeared to be destined for stardom. A hard throwing lefty, he looked like he would develop into the type of ace that the New York Yankees had been lacking over the previous decade. Despite not pitching at all that year due to a contract dispute, Taylor was considered the top prospect in baseball by Baseball America heading into the 1992 season.
He pitched well in his first two seasons. In 1992, he had a 6-8 record with a 2.57 ERA, striking out 187 batters with just 121 hits allowed in 161.1 innings. The following year, Taylor’s command went away, as he 102 batters in 163 innings, but he was 13-7 with a 3.48 ERA and struck out 150 batters. He was voted the fourth best prospect in the Eastern League, and still seemed to have a bright future.
That was, until this day in 1993. Taylor was out at a bar with his brother and a friend when they got into a fight. He stepped in to protect them, but injured his shoulder in the process. He fell on his pitching shoulder, tearing his capsule and glenoid labrum, an injury that surgeon Frank Jobe called the worst he had ever seen.
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While Taylor came back after missing the entire 1994 season recovering from his injuries, he was not nearly the same pitcher. His velocity was gone, and with his control issues, Taylor was battered. In the Gulf Coast League, the former top prospect posted a 2-5 record with a 6.08 ERA and a 2.075 WHiP. In 40 innings, he walked 54 batters.
The next couple of years were even worse. He spent the next three years in Greensboro, allowing 116 runs, 104 earned, in 68.2 innings. Taylor walked 111 batters and gave up 78 hits, getting annihilated by a level he skipped when he made his professional debut. Understandably, he was released after the season.
After spending time with the Seattle Mariners and the Cleveland Indians organizations, Taylor was out of baseball. Instead of being that ace they expected, Taylor made the wrong type of history, becoming the second first overall pick to not make the Majors. He had his legal issues after his baseball career, being arrested for misdemeanor child abuse, and eventually serving time on charges of trafficking cocaine.
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Brien Taylor was expected to be the next star for the New York Yankees. Instead, he joined Steve Chilcott as the only top overall picks to not make it to the Majors.