Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB Draft: 4 first overall picks to never make it to ‘The Show’

By Clint Manry

08 JUN 2015: The draft board show the first selection of Dansby Swanson by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Alex Bregman by the the Houston Astros during round 1 of the Major league Baseball First Year Player Draft held at Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus,NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
08 JUN 2015: The draft board show the first selection of Dansby Swanson by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Alex Bregman by the the Houston Astros during round 1 of the Major league Baseball First Year Player Draft held at Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus,NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
(Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /

Brien Taylor, LHP

  • 21 years-old
  • 1991 MLB Draft
  • New York Yankees
  • $1.5 million

Brien Taylor, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound hard-throwing lefty at the time of his draft, is perhaps the saddest of the stories featured in this piece, given his bust was primarily caused by a freak accident. Still, like the rest of the players on this list, the North Carolina native never made it to the Show.

Taken at the top of the 1991 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, Taylor was quickly named the top prospect in baseball by Baseball America. Armed with a 98-mph fastball and two solid secondaries (a curveball and changeup), Taylor turned in an incredible first season in 1992 as a 20-year-old with the High-A Fort Lauderdale club. In 161.1 innings, the big lefty struck out 187 batters (10.4 K/9) and finished with a respectable 6-8 record and strong 2.57 ERA. The 1993 season was more of the same, perhaps even better, as Taylor logged 163 innings at Double-A Albany-Colonie, striking out 150 batters and posting a 3.48 ERA (though, he struggled a bit with walks, finishing with 5.6 BB/9). Taylor was on the fast-track to the majors, perhaps just a season or two from a potential debut.

However, a rough brawl at a trailer park in 1993 ruined everything. The fight dislocated Taylor’s shoulder and tore his labrum, causing him to miss all of the 1994 campaign. And even when Taylor returned in 1995, he wasn’t the same — barely able to reach 90 mph with his heater and featuring a rather substantial drop in his already poor command.  The drop-off in Taylor’s pitching was incredible, as he spent the following four seasons (1996-98, plus the 2000 campaign) trying to work his way back to no avail.

  • 1996 season (Single-A): 18.73 ERA, 9 starts
  • 1997 season (Single-A): 14.33 ERA, 7 starts
  • 1998 season (Single-A): 9.59 ERA, 13 relief appearances
  • 2000 season (Single-A): 27.00 ERA, 5 relief appearances 

In 2001, at the still capable age of 29-years-old, Taylor finally gave baseball up having never surpassed the Double-A level, despite at his peak being one of the best young power-pitching prospects of his time.

Truly, a sad story.

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