Michael Taylor Must Prove Himself For Washington Nationals In 2016 Spring Training

As a team, the Washington Nationals have a lot to prove in 2016, and they should come to spring training motivated to put a disappointing 2015 season behind them. However, one player with a little extra motivation to prove himself is outfielder Michael Taylor, who is not yet 25 and already fighting for his big league future.

Not long ago, Taylor seemed like a good bet to be Washington’s center fielder of the future, and he got a chance to prove himself in that role last year with Denard Span fighting injuries all season. Unfortunately for Taylor, he did not take advantage of that opportunity, hitting .229/.283/.358. As a result, the Nationals traded for Ben Revere earlier this offseason to be their everyday center fielder, pushing Taylor into a reserve role.

Taylor is too young and too talented for the Nationals to give up on just yet. But he has a lot to prove if he’s going to earn a prominent role on the team, and he has to start proving it with a strong performance this spring. Taylor can at least make the case for a platoon with Revere in center field with a solid spring. The left-handed hitting Revere has held his own against left-handed pitching throughout his career, but if Taylor can do damage against lefties during the spring, he could convince new manager Dusty Baker to set up a platoon in center field. This would be a step in the right direction towards a larger role for Taylor.

There may also be an opportunity for Taylor to earn playing time in left field as well. Considering Jayson Werth’s age, the time he missed due to injuries last year and his poor performance in 2015, he may not be able to put up the kind of offensive numbers he once did, even if he can remain healthy this season. This opens the door for Taylor to take playing time away from Werth, but only if he can start to show during the spring that he’s ready to take the next step in his development be a player the Nationals can count on this season.

Heading into spring training, Taylor shouldn’t have to worry about securing a spot on the opening day roster. However, he appears bound for a role as little more than a backup unless he can show the Nationals that he’s capable of doing more. Taylor must prove himself during spring training and remind the Nationals why they thought so highly of him not too long ago.