It’s been a long haul for Travis Taijeron. Drafted in the eighteenth round of the 2011 MLB Draft, the 27-year-0ld outfielder has clawed his way through every level of the New York Mets minor league system. From Brooklyn to Las Vegas, Taijeron has bided his time, waiting for an opportunity to shine. It seems that he’s seizing the moment. Despite being reassigned to minor league camp last week, Taijeron has made a strong case to be a contributor for the Mets at some point in 2016.
Born in La Mesa, California, Travis Taijeron began his career at Granite Hills High School as a catcher. He attended Grossmont College in 2008, but would go on to transfer Southwestern College in 2009, and subsequently Cal Poly Pomona in 2010. While playing for the Broncos, Taijeron received an assortment of accolades, including the 2010-11 California Collegiate Athletic Association Male Athlete of the Year, the 2011 CCAA Most Valuable Player and Daktronics American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association West Region Player of the Year, and a NCAA Division II All-American selection by Daktronics, the NCBWA and the ABCA.
After the Mets selected him in the eighteenth round of the 2011 draft, Taijeron opened his professional career playing for the Low-A Brookyln Cyclones. In fifty-six games, he slashed .299/.387/.557 with nine home runs and forty-four RBI. His efforts earned him Player of the Week honors and recognition as an MiLB.com Organization All-Star and New York Penn League Mid-Season All-Star. In 2012, Taijeron would earn Player of the Week honors and was selected as a South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star while playing for the Single-A Savannah Sand Gnats. In 2013 and 2014 stints with Binghamton, the Mets Double-A affiliate, Taijeron collected three Player of the Week nods and was again named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star. Taijeron spent the 2015 season with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s, slashing .274/.393/.536 with twenty-five home runs and seventy-one RBI.
? | It’s been a heck of a start to spring for Travis Taijeron, who leads the club with 10 RBI. #Metshttps://t.co/sH6u8mDMSk
— New York Mets (@Mets) March 13, 2016
In twenty-six Grapefruit League at-bats, Taijeron put up a .385/.433/.654 line, with with one home run and ten RBI. The California native has been nothing short of impressive, but it his breakout campaign has seemingly come at the wrong time. Coming off a World Series run, the Mets have more organizational depth now than they have had at any other time in recent memory. This offseason saw the return of Yoenis Cespedes and the signing of Alejandro De Aza, leaving opportunities in the outfield even more scarce. Without even mentioning the emergence of 2014 first-round pick Michael Conforto, the Mets have a well of talent in the outfield within their minor league affiliates. Brandon Nimmo, Desmond Lindsay, Wuilmer Becerra, Ivan Wilson, and Champ Stuart are all outfielders found on MLB.com’s top 30 prospects for the Mets, a list that Taijeron finds himself absent from.
Anticipating the inability to resign Cespedes, New York brought De Aza in to platoon with Juan Lagares in centerfield. The return of Cespedes relegated De Aza to the bench, effectively slotting him into the fifth outfielder role on the team. While it has been reported that the Mets are exploring trades for De Aza, it is unlikely that he will be moved off the club by Opening Day. On March 15th, the organization announced that Taijeron had been reassigned to minor league. While this may be a minor setback, the inevitable departure of Alejandro De Aza coupled with Taijeron’s impressive spring at the plate indicate the the young outfielder will find his way in to Citi Field at some point this season.
Travis Taijeron will help the Mets win a couple games at some point this season. Book it. https://t.co/DjSkD3BliU
— MettaWorldCrazy (@MettaWorldCrazy) March 15, 2016
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