2011 Baseball Roster
Roster
Taylor Stark
- Position:
- INF/RHP
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 182
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Flowood, MS
- High School/Previous School:
- Northwest Rankin HS
2011:
Two-way player who pitched in 15
games • Played in 17 other games as on outfielder, designated hitter or pinch
hitter, compiling a .182 batting average • Posted a 3-0 record with two saves
and a 2.95 earned run average • Blanked opponents in 12 of his 15 relief
appearances • Registered 18 strikeouts in 18.1 innings • Made his MSU debut as
a pinch hitter on opening day against Akron (Feb. 18) • Singled, drew a walk and scored his first career run
a day later as the starting DH against Akron (Feb. 19) • Earned his first win with an inning of shutout relief
against Sacred Heart (Mar. 12) and picked up his first career save with 1.2 innings of
scoreless game-closing work in the series finale at No. 1 Vanderbilt (Mar. 20) • Struck out four over 2.0 innings in a no-decision
appearance against Iowa (Mar. 5) • Matched that strikeout total and earned his second
save in a season-longest 2.2-inning relief stint at Tennessee (May 7) • Also notched wins over eventual NCAA runner-up Florida (Apr. 8) and LSU (May 20) in solid relief efforts at Dudy Noble Field • Pitched an
inning of scoreless relief against No. 1 national seed Florida (June 12) in the championship game of the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional • Finished with a 2-0 worksheet, two saves and a 3.72 earned run
average in eight SEC appearances (9.2 innings) • Drew seven starts in the
outfield (six in right, one in left) • Made his first defensive start (right
field) and belted his first career home run against Belmont (Feb. 27) • Ripped a three-run triple against Alabama A&M (Mar. 30) • One of six Diamond Dog rookies named to the 2011 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll • Played summer league baseball with Bulldog infielder Demarcus Henderson with Amsterdam (NY) in the Perfect
Game League.
HIGH SCHOOL:
Three-year standout performer and
Clarion-Ledger "Dandy Dozen" pick as a middle infielder and right-handed
pitcher at Northwest Rankin High
School in Flowood, Miss. • Coached by Jeff McClaskey • Registered a .392 batting average with 33 RBI and 17 extra-base
hits as a senior in 2010 • Led the Cougars on the basepaths with 12 stolen
bases in 14 attempts • On the mound logged a 5-3 worksheet with four saves, a
team-best 1.87 earned run average and a staff-best 59 strikeouts in 48 innings
pitched • Named to Baseball American's preseason Top 100 list in 2010 •
All-District 6 selection and tabbed the district's top pitcher and MVP • Hit
.348 with 23 RBI and 11 extra-base hits as a junior, netting all-district and
district 2009 MVP honors • Also went 6-2 on the mound with a 2.71 ERA and 57 strikeouts •
Voted the most improved player after hitting .385 as a sophomore in 2008 •
Elected team captain in 2007 and hit a career-best .480 with a 4-0 pitching
record and three saves • Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the
Future Business Leaders of America • MVP in the 2009 Junior Olympic Baseball Tournament in Millington, Tenn., where he tossed a one-hitter in the
championship game.
DRAFT HISTORY:
Chosen by the Washington Nationals in the 42nd round of the Major League Baseball's 2010 First-Year
Player Draft.
PERSONAL:
Born Taylor
Blythe Stark on October 7, 1991 in
Jackson, Miss. • Son of Michele
and
Paul Stark of Jackson, Miss. • Majoring in
kinesiology.
