PROFILING USA BASEBALL’S 2010 SIGNEES ... TAYLOR WHITE  

MOBILE, Ala. ? When USA assistant coach Scot Sealy talks about the way Taylor White plays the game of baseball, he’s giving more than just a scouting report from a recruiting trip. Sealy coached White during his freshman season at Alabama Southern Community College, so he probably knows the talented center fielder’s game as well as anyone.

When Sealy compares White to players he’s coached in the past, he struggles to match him up with anyone. True five-tool players don’t come along all that often.

“He’s the best center fielder I’ve ever coached,” Sealy said. “There have been some good ones at South Alabama, and I’ve coached a lot of them, but this kid is one of the one’s that has a good chance to play in the big leagues because he does everything right.”

Like all of USA’s 2010 signees, White is eligible to be drafted in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He’ll play his sophomore year at Alabama Southern for new head coach, and former all-conference pitcher at USA, Daniel Head. Then, he’s slated to join the Jag program, assuming the professional ranks don’t come calling.

“We’ll be lucky to see him on the campus at South Alabama,” Sealy said. “If he comes here, I don’t expect to have him for more than a year  ? he is that type of player.”

White’s numbers back Sealy’s claims. He hit .416 and stole 16 bases in 52 games during his first year of collegiate baseball. Prior to that, he was named State Player of the Year and won the 2007 state championship while playing for coach Danny Powell at Leroy High School.

Sealy said White’s stolen base numbers from last season are skewed. There were times when he would’ve directed White to try to steal third base, but it wasn’t worth the risk because he knew White would be able to score from second base on any hit. That’s the kind of speed White possesses.

“He is a plus-plus runner, and I think he’s going to be one of the fastest guys in Alabama ? if not the entire country,” assistant coach Seth Von Behren said. “He’ll hit in the top part of our order right away.”

There is little doubt White will eventually move on to the professional ranks. Now it’s just a question of whether he’ll do so as a South Alabama Jaguar.