Taylor Ward

Taylor Ward's Biography

Joseph Taylor Ward, known to friends and family as Taylor, was born on December 12, 1993 in Dayton, Ohio. Ward, the son of Joe and Samantha Ward, grew up a lover of baseball, spending his early years in Oviedo, Florida, a suburban oasis in Orlando. Ward was enrolled into Hagerty High School in 2008 where he would begin his high school journey.

His family relocated to the sun-drenched region of Coachella Valley, Southern California, in 2009. This uprooted Ward, who enrolled at Shadow Hills High School in Indio for his sophomore year. He quickly adapted to his environment and took on the position as catcher for the school’s baseball team. His talent was unmatched by most, earning him two consecutive De Anza League First Team selections.

In his junior year, he received the De Anza League MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards, alongside First Team honors in the California Interscholastic Federation’s Southern Section. In line with his senior season, he partnered with Tyson Miller, an eventual Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, forming an invincible duo. A promising student, Ward committed to play baseball for California State University, Fresno, setting a precedent as the first from Shadow Hills to receive an athletic scholarship from an NCAA Division I school.

After his high school graduation, Ward had an opportunity to start his professional baseball career early when the Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the 31st round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. However, he opted to pursue further education at California State University, Fresno, playing college baseball for the Fresno State Bulldogs.

During his freshman year, Ward’s teammates included future major leaguers Aaron Judge, Jordan Luplow, and Austin Wynns. Despite a timid start to his freshman season, Ward displayed glimmers of his MLB potential during his sophomore season in 2014, with two Mountain West Conference Player of the Week selections, and delivered an impressive junior season, batting .304 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs.

Following his successful junior season with Fresno State, Ward was ranked as the 70th-best draft prospect by Baseball America and 99th by MLB.com. In the 2015 MLB draft, the Los Angeles Angels signed Ward as the first round’s 26th pick. After four seasons in the Angels farm system, Ward finally made his MLB debut in 2018.

During his first four seasons, Ward’s placement on the team fluctuated, being sent back to the minor leagues multiple times. He was shifted to the outfield in 2019, causing a heated competition between fellow top prospects Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh, while veterans Mike Trout, Justin Upton, and Kole Calhoun maintained a stronghold on most of the playing time.

Finally, in 2022, Ward established himself as the Angels’ primary right fielder. He had a breakout season, hitting 23 home runs and leading qualified Angels batters with a .281 batting average and a .360 on-base percentage (OBP).

Throughout his journey, Ward has faced a series of setbacks and triumphs, molding him into a formidable player in Major League Baseball. He’s shown remarkable resilience, adapting and excelling in shifting roles within the team. In 2023, he now stands as a testament to the power of perseverance and the beauty of baseball. With the change of wind, Ward changes course, but always stays grounded in his passion for the game.