Kelowna Falcons shortstop rewriting team’s record book
Vancouver product shining at shortstop, surprising as power hitter
Taylor Wright’s coming-out party has been on full display at Elks Stadium this summer.
The Vancouver product, committed to the University of Maryland Terrapins (NCAA Division 1) for the fall, has been turning heads in the field at shortstop and opening even more eyes at the plate in rewriting the Kelowna Falcons’ record book. Entering last week’s All-Star break, Wright had already become the franchise’s single-season leader for runs batted in (37) and home runs (nine) — surpassing Kyle Pearson’s records of 33 RBIs and seven homers from 2012.
Wright is on pace to shatter those marks with 13 games remaining in the West Coast League regular season — counting tonight’s finale of a three-game home set against the Bend Elks (6:35 p.m. at Elks Stadium).
“This team has been around a while and there have been some really good ball players come through here, so it’s been pretty special to watch,” said Falcons head coach Bryan Donohue, who didn’t hold back in his praise of Wright — calling the 20-year-old a ‘special talent’, ‘the real deal’ and a ‘five-tool player.’
“It’s been impressive, especially the power numbers he’s put up — that’s probably the one thing we weren’t expecting,” Donohue continued. “We knew that he was going to come in and be a good defender. We knew that he had arm strength and that he could run. We knew he could hit too, and once that power tool showed up, and to see how he’s flourished with that . . . for his future, that makes him really interesting — as far as the professional level is concerned.”
Eligible for next year’s MLB draft, Wright is suddenly a hot prospect and sure to draw attention playing at Maryland.
“They’ve got a history there . . . the past few guys who have played that position (shortstop) for them have had some success and gotten drafted. So it’s exciting to be part of that line and hopefully continue that trend,” Wright said. “I’m kind of trying not to think about it — just put my head down and play as hard as I can, and if it ends up that (getting drafted) is in the cards, then awesome.
“You always dream of that opportunity and, if it comes, I’d love to take a shot at playing pro ball,” he added.
Wright’s stock is on the rise thanks to that emerging power element.
“I’ve surprised myself a little bit,” admitted the 2015 graduate of Windsor Secondary who arrived in Kelowna coming off two productive but not earth-shattering seasons for the Colorado Northwestern Community College Spartans. “I’ve never been a huge power guy, but I put on a little bit of weight this spring, which is helping, I think, with the power.
“Overall, it’s worked out super well here, and it’s kind of reassuring to know that if I can have a good summer in this league, hopefully I am ready for what’s next (at Maryland).”
Wright showed off his newfound power at the WCL’s home run derby in Yakima, Wash., last Monday, advancing to the final round and finishing as runner-up.
“That was really cool. There were a ton of really good players there, some of the best players in college baseball, so it was fun to see how I’d stack up against them,” Wright said of the All-Star experience. “I felt kind of outgunned in the derby, even though I did pretty well. There were some guys hitting them pretty far, a lot farther than I was.”
Donohue was in attendance and in awe of Wright’s efforts.
“When I was watching the derby, I was like ‘I hope there’s a couple (MLB) scouts in the stands’ because the performance that he put out there was awesome,” Donohue said. “There were some big hitters there and he was obviously right there until the very end.”
Speaking of big hitters, Chris Davis — the Baltimore Orioles’ slugger — played for the Falcons in 2005, producing 29 RBIs and five home runs, now tied for fourth all-time in both categories.
Reminded that he ranks ahead of the likes of Davis, Wright remained modest and humble.
“It’s pretty crazy . . . obviously I have a long way to go before I can even be in the same sentence as a guy like him,” Wright said. “I know when (Davis) was in this league, he was a freshman, so I’ve got a few years on him. It’s not necessarily a fair comparison, but just to think I’m kind of in the same ballpark with the accomplishments at this level, it’s cool.
“Knowing that there’s some people who played on this club that ended up putting together big-league careers, it makes the dream a little more real.”
Donohue sees that kind of potential in Wright.
“He definitely stands out. Day in and day out, he’s been a force in our lineup, and he’s singlehandedly won us some baseball games with his bat,” Donohue said of his MVP to date. “On all aspects, hitting for average and hitting for power, you can’t dispute that — as far as how much he helps us on the offensive end.
“The more people have had a chance to watch him play, the more they’ve recognized what he’s capable of doing,” Donohue added, “and he’s still got his best baseball ahead of him. “He’s just going to keep getting better.” EXTRA POINTS: Kelowna fans can catch Wright and the Falcons in action seven more times in the regular season — counting tonight. Kelowna then has a six-game homestand from July 28 through Aug. 2 against Bellingham and Walla Walla, and the Falcons will also have home-field advantage for the first round of the WCL playoffs — slated for the week of Aug. 7 to 11 . . . . Listed at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Wright had a .333 batting average over a team-high 147 at-bats heading into the weekend against Bend. He compares his hitting approach to that of Miami Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich and models his defence after fellow shortstops Carlos Correa (Houston Astros) and Francisco Lindor (Cleveland Indians). . . . Donohue didn’t make any MLB comparisons for Wright, instead saying: “There’s not a whole lot of left-handed power-hitting shortstops in the majors. Defensively, you throw him in a pro uniform right now and you wouldn’t think anything of it. He’s got the size, he’s got the arm strength, he’s got the athleticism. Offensively speaking, I think he’s kind of a unique hitter too. It’s been a lot time since I’ve seen a guy hit high fastballs the way he does. Some guys can’t do anything with that pitch, but he’ll literally hit it over the fence.” . . . As for playing in Kelowna, Wright said: “It’s really fun. I’ve had a great time here, and the coaches have been awesome. Being close to home, my family has come up five or six times, and I’ve got some buddies coming up next week to see a game — friends I went to high school with. I actually played on this field (Elks Stadium) in high school a few times, so it’s been a really neat experience to kind of come full circle.”