Brayden Taylor (15) and Gibbs hosted Pigeon Forge for a TSSAA District 3-AA contest on Steve Hunley Field on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, in Corryton, Tennessee. The Gibbs Eagles won 7-4. (Photo by Danny Parker)
By MIKE BLACKERBY
There was no keeping Brayden Taylor off base in the Class AA state baseball tournament.
Taylor had an insane .824 on-base percentage during the May tournament in Murfreesboro as the Eagles swept four games on their way to their second state championship in school history.
Couple that with his contributions on the mound, and it’s easy to see whey the Gibbs senior is the 5Star Preps 2021 Baseball Player of the Year.
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“A Brayden Taylor comes along about every 10 to 20 years,” said Gibbs coach Geff Davis.
“Brayden is one of those kids where you look back and he’s going to be on your all-time team, I’m sure.”
Taylor, who had never batted at the top of the lineup until this year, relished his role as a lead-off catalyst.
“My goal was to get on base and score,” said Taylor.
“Brayden Taylor’s ability to get on base was very clutch to our success,” offered Davis.
“He was always able to get on.”
That was especially true at the state tournament as Taylor was aboard after almost every plate appearance.
His .444 batting average at the state tournament was impressive enough.
But Taylor reached base another nine times via walks and scored nine runs.
When not playing shortstop, he compiled a 2-0 record at state, allowing just two hits and no runs in 6.1 innings of work.
He racked up 11 strikeouts and allowed just two walks.
Taylor came on in relief in the state championship game against District 3-AA rival Pigeon Forge to nail down the win.
“We tried to limit his number of innings and pick the spots to use him in,” said Davis.
“He was so valuable at shortstop we hated to pull him off there.”
Taylor said he relished getting the call from Davis to pitch.
“I love shortstop and I love to hit, but there’s something about being in control of the game,” said Taylor, who was the co-MVP of District 3-AA.
For the season Taylor batted .341 with an OBP of .481.
He scored 53 runs, stole 21 bases, stroked 15 doubles and had three home runs.
Pitching wise, Taylor was 5-1 with five saves and a 1.84 ERA. He struck out 73 batters in 38 innings.
Looking back, Taylor said 2021 was a dream season.
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“It was crazy, nothing was expected,” he said.
“Early in the season it felt like any other year. Then we started talking … ‘I think we’ve got a pretty good team. Let’s win the state championship.’”
Gibbs needed a late rally to knock off Watertown 4-3 in its state opener and avoid falling into the loser’s bracket.
That seemed to jumpstart the Eagles, who followed with resounding wins over Covington (13-2), Greenbrier (11-0) and ultimately Pigeon Forge (14-8).
Gibbs finished 32-7 with three wins in five tries against the arch-rival Tigers this season.
“We were a little shaky in that first game, but (from there) it was like, ‘we’ve got a shot.’ The last three games of the state tournament was really the first time all season that we ever got hot,” said Taylor.
Davis predicts big things for Taylor as he moves on to play in college at Carson-Newman.
“He’s a very dependable young man with an excellent work ethic,” said Davis.
“He’s high energy and as far as having a coach on the field, you couldn’t ask for a better one.”
5STAR PREPS 2021 Baseball Teams presented by New Balance Knoxville