Special report on the Florida Gators baseball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida baseball has hired Taylor Black as an assistant coach on the Gators coaching staff, as announced by Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan on Monday.
Black comes equipped with Power Five college baseball coaching experience at NC State, although his most-recent stop was a four-plus year stint in the Detroit Tigers organization. After joining the Tigers as a scout in November 2017, Black transitioned into the role of East Coast Crosschecker in September 2019.
“We could not be more excited to have Taylor join our coaching staff,” O’Sullivan said. “Taylor has experience playing in the SEC and coaching at a premier college program, and brings a unique perspective to our team with his background as a scouting crosschecker. He is an excellent addition that rounds out our staff as we look to get back to competing for National Championships for Gator Nation.”
Prior to his work with the Tigers, Black served as an assistant coach at NC State from 2014-17. During his three seasons on staff, the Wolfpack went to three-straight NCAA Tournaments while turning in a 110-70 record. NC State batted .303 as a team in 2016 thanks to Black’s contributions while hitting .271 or higher all three seasons. Black’s presence also had a positive impact on the Wolfpack defensively, as evidenced by a combined .973 fielding percentage across his tenure.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Coach O’Sullivan and the University of Florida for this incredible opportunity,” Black said. “Sully and his staff have built Florida into one of the premier programs in the country, and I’m excited to get to work in helping to bring this program back to the College World Series and compete for national championships. I will work relentlessly to recruit the best student-athletes to Gainesville while developing them both on and off the field. Go Gators!”
Black also coached for the Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League in 2014, which serves as a developmental summer league for various college players. That followed a three-year professional career, as Black played for the Philadelphia Phillies’ Single-A affiliate, the Williamsport Crosscutters, in 2011 before going on to compete for the independent Evansville Otters from 2012-13.
As a 16th round MLB Draft pick out of the University of Kentucky in 2011, Black started 110 of a possible 111 games for the Wildcats during his two years in Lexington from 2010-11. Across those two seasons, Black served as the team’s starting shortstop while batting .297 with 15 home runs, two triples, 22 doubles, 87 runs, 75 RBI and 24 stolen bases.
THE TAYLOR BLACK FILE
Birthdate: Feb. 17, 1989
Hometown: Easley, S.C.
High School: Easley HS (Easley, S.C.)
Education: University of Kentucky, Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology and Exercise Science – 2011
Coaching Career:
Assistant Coach, NC State University, 2014-17
Coach, Wilmington Sharks, 2011
USA Baseball Tournament of Stars
Prospect Development Pipeline League
Collegiate Playing Career:
University of Kentucky, 2010-11
Spartanburg Methodist College, 2009
Charleston Southern University, 2008
Professional Playing Career:
Philadelphia Phillies Organization (Selected in 16th round of 2011 MLB Draft)
- Williamsport Crosscutters (Low-A – New York-Pennsylvania League), 2011
Independent League
- Evansville Otters (Frontier League), 2012-13