Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor Bio

Christopher Armand Taylor Jr. (born August 29, 1990), nicknamed “CT3”, is an American professional baseball utility player who most recently played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels. He has previously played for the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers. Taylor played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers and was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB draft by the Seattle Mariners. He made his MLB debut with the Mariners in 2014. Over his career, Taylor won the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award in 2017, earned All-Star honors in 2021, and captured World Series championships with the Dodgers in 2020 and 2024. Known for his defensive versatility, Taylor has played every position except catcher, first baseman, and pitcher during his major league career.

Early Life and Background

Christopher Armand Taylor Jr. was born on August 29, 1990, and grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He attended Great Neck Middle School, where he competed on the wrestling team and won a city wrestling championship. Taylor then attended Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach. He stopped wrestling during high school to focus on baseball and emerged as a top prospect, being named the All-Tidewater region Player of the Year in 2009. His athletic family includes his father Chris Sr. and grandfather Armand, both of whom attended Virginia Tech and competed on the wrestling team.

Taylor was recruited to play college baseball by multiple programs, ultimately choosing the University of Virginia over the College of William and Mary. At Virginia, he played for the Cavaliers baseball team in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). His freshman year saw limited playing time as Tyler Cannon, an All-ACC shortstop, handled the position. During the summer of 2010, Taylor gained experience playing collegiate summer baseball for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL.

Path to Professional Baseball

Taylor’s sophomore year at Virginia marked a turning point in his college career. After starting the season in right field due to Stephen Bruno being named the starting shortstop, Taylor inherited the shortstop position when Bruno suffered a hamstring injury. He retained the job even after Bruno recovered. In 2011, Taylor delivered a pivotal performance, hitting a two-out single to drive in the tying and winning runs in the decisive game of the Charlottesville Super Regional against UC Irvine. This hit sent the Cavaliers to the College World Series. That summer, he played for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the premier summer leagues for college players.

The Seattle Mariners selected Taylor in the fifth round, with the 161st overall selection, of the 2012 MLB Draft. He began his professional career in Minor League Baseball at the Rookie-level before earning a promotion to Single-A, primarily playing shortstop. In 2013, Taylor played for both the High Desert Mavericks of the High-A California League and the Jackson Generals of the Double-A Southern League. He finished the season with a combined .314 batting average, 165 hits (eighth-best in Minor League Baseball), eight home runs, 60 RBIs, 108 runs scored, and 38 stolen bases while playing shortstop and second base. After the season, the Mariners assigned him to the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League, where he was named the Mariners’ minor league player of the year after hitting .294 with a .351 on-base percentage.

Chris Taylor Career

Seattle Mariners (2014–2016)

The Mariners invited Taylor to spring training in 2014. Following spring training, he was assigned to the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He appeared in the Triple-A All-Star Game and was named the PCL’s Top Star. After batting .328 with five home runs, 37 RBIs, and 63 runs scored in 75 games while playing shortstop and second base, the Mariners promoted Taylor to the major leagues on July 24, 2014, to replace the injured Willie Bloomquist. He collected his first major-league hit, a single, that night against the Baltimore Orioles’ Wei-Yin Chen. In 47 games during his rookie season, Taylor hit .287.

During spring training in 2015, Taylor suffered a setback when he fractured his wrist after being hit by a pitch. After recovering from his injury, he began the 2015 season with Triple-A Tacoma, where he hit .300 in 86 games. For the major league season that year, he batted .170 with no home runs and one RBI in 94 at-bats while playing shortstop, second base, and third base. After beginning 2016 back in the minors, Taylor was recalled on May 21 to replace the injured Ketel Marte. He had one hit in three at-bats over two games before the Mariners traded him later that season.

Los Angeles Dodgers Breakthrough (2016–2021)

On June 19, 2016, the Mariners traded Taylor to the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Zach Lee. Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto would later call this trade “clearly the worst deal I’ve ever made.” Taylor made his Dodgers debut shortly after the trade. On July 15, 2016, he hit his first major league career home run, a grand slam, off Silvino Bracho of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also had a double, a triple, drove in six runs, and nearly completed the cycle. He became the third Dodgers player in history to have his first career home run be a grand slam and the third Dodgers second baseman to have at least six RBIs in a game. He played in 34 games for the Dodgers in 2016, hitting .207 with one home run and seven RBIs, primarily playing shortstop.

Taylor made the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster for 2017 and established himself as a key contributor. He batted .288 with 21 home runs, 72 RBIs, and 142 strikeouts in 514 at-bats, playing center field, left field, second base, shortstop, and third base. On July 6, against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he hit his first career walk-off hit, driving in Logan Forsythe to win the game 5-4. In the postseason, Taylor was exceptional. On October 14, 2017, he hit his first career postseason home run off Héctor Rondón of the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Taylor and Justin Turner were selected as co-MVPs of the NLCS. On October 24, he hit a home run on the first pitch by Dallas Keuchel to begin Game 1 of the World Series. Overall, in the 2017 postseason, Taylor hit .254 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 15 games as the Dodgers lost the World Series to the Houston Astros in seven games.

In 2018, Taylor led the National League with 178 strikeouts while posting a .254/.331/.444 slash line with 17 home runs, 63 RBIs, and nine stolen bases in 604 plate appearances. He reached career highs in games played (155), runs scored (85), doubles (35), triples (8), and walks (55). With teammate Corey Seager missing most of the season due to injury, Taylor spent the majority of the season at shortstop. He represented MLB in the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series. In 2019, Taylor returned to his utility role, playing 124 games and hitting .262/.333/.462 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs.

Los Angeles Dodgers Era (2020–2024)

On February 7, 2020, Taylor signed a two-year, $13.4 million contract extension with the Dodgers, avoiding salary arbitration. The season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Taylor became the Dodgers’ primary second baseman, appearing in 56 of the team’s 60 games. He batted .270/.366/.476 with eight homers and 32 RBIs. In the postseason, he had five hits including a home run in 23 at-bats in the World Series. Taylor received his first championship ring as the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games to win their first championship since 1988.

Taylor was selected to represent the Dodgers at the 2021 All-Star Game, his first All-Star appearance. During the regular season, he batted .254/.344/.438 with 20 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases in 148 games. On October 6, he hit a two-out, two-run walk-off home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card game. On October 21, Taylor made MLB history by hitting three home runs in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs in an elimination game. On December 1, he re-signed with the Dodgers on a four-year contract worth $60 million with a team option for a fifth year.

In 2022, Taylor played in 118 games and batted .221 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs. On June 15, 2023, Taylor hit his 100th career home run, a grand slam off Reynaldo López of the Chicago White Sox, becoming the first player in history to hit grand slams for both his first and 100th career homers. He played in 117 games, batting .237 with 15 homers and 56 RBIs. The 2024 season was challenging as Taylor was hitting only .167 when he went on the injured list with a groin injury in late July. He returned on August 22 but only played in 87 games and hit .202, his lowest average since 2015. In the World Series, Taylor was used primarily as a late-game defensive replacement and pinch runner, scoring a run in Game 1 and hitting a single in his only at-bat as he won his second championship with Los Angeles.

Driving Style and Strengths

Taylor’s primary value came from his defensive versatility. He regularly played shortstop, second base, center field, left field, and third base, making him an invaluable asset for roster flexibility and matchup adjustments. At the plate, he combined power with speed, capable of hitting 20-plus home runs in a full season while also stealing bases. His ability to hit for average while providing positional flexibility made him a complete player. Postseason performance highlighted his clutch abilities, as he delivered key home runs and dramatic moments in elimination games.

Notable Events and Milestones

Taylor’s most memorable postseason moment came in the 2021 NLCS when he became the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs in an elimination game. His dramatic walk-off home run in the 2021 Wild Card Game against the St. Louis Cardinals showcased his ability to deliver in high-pressure situations. In the 2017 postseason, he earned NLCS MVP honors and homered in Game 1 of the World Series. His career trajectory included going from a player acquired for spare parts to a key contributor on championship teams, with the Mariners later regretting the trade that sent him to Los Angeles.

Chris Taylor Career Wins

Over his MLB career, Taylor has accumulated significant achievements across multiple seasons and teams. His versatility allowed him to contribute in various roles, from everyday player to key bench contributor during championship runs.

Major League Baseball Highlights

Taylor’s career statistics include a .248 batting average, 110 home runs, and 443 RBIs across 11 major league seasons. He won two World Series championships (2020, 2024) with the Dodgers, earned NLCS MVP honors in 2017, and was selected to the All-Star Game in 2021. His most productive offensive season came in 2017 when he hit .288 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs while playing multiple positions. In the 2017 postseason, he hit .254 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 15 games. He reached the 100 career home run milestone on June 15, 2023, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit grand slams for both his first and 100th career homers.

Other Achievements

Before reaching the majors, Taylor was named the Seattle Mariners’ minor league player of the year in 2013 after hitting .314 in Double-A and Triple-A combined. He was selected to the Triple-A All-Star Game in 2014 and named the Pacific Coast League’s Top Star. In college, he helped the Virginia Cavaliers reach the College World Series with a dramatic game-winning hit in the 2011 regional final.

Chris Taylor Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Taylor comes from an athletic family with strong wrestling tradition. His father Chris Sr. and grandfather Armand both attended Virginia Tech, where they competed on the wrestling team. This athletic heritage provided Taylor with competitive instincts and discipline that translated to his baseball career. His father also played college baseball, adding another athletic dimension to the family background.

Personal Life

Taylor married his wife in December 2022 in Waialua, Hawaii. The couple welcomed their first child in 2023. Taylor has maintained a relatively private personal life despite his professional baseball career, focusing on his family during the offseason.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season began with significant changes for Taylor. He was relegated to occasional appearances the first month and a half of the season, getting only 35 at-bats in 28 games with seven hits for a .200 batting average. The Los Angeles Dodgers released him on May 18, 2025, ending his nine-year tenure with the organization.

On May 26, 2025, Taylor signed a major league contract with the Los Angeles Angels. His time with the Angels got off to a difficult start when he suffered a broken left hand after being hit by a pitch in a game against the Athletics on June 9. He played in 30 games with the Angels, batting .179 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Between the Dodgers and the Angels, Taylor played in 58 games in 2025, combining for a .186 batting average, two home runs, and 12 RBIs.

As a free agent following his release from the Angels, Taylor faces an uncertain future. At 34 years old, he will need to demonstrate his health and adaptability to earn another opportunity at the major league level. His career totals include a .248 batting average, 110 home runs, and 443 RBIs across 11 MLB seasons with three organizations. His ability to play multiple positions remains his strongest asset for potentially extending his career.