Nielsen "Taylor" Smith

December 15, 1978 - July 23, 2019

Taylor's baseball career Little league All Star ages 8-15 State champions Utah ages 8-11 Nevada age 12, Little League world series playoffs, San Bernardino, CA Nevada ages 13-15 World Series teams 14 & 15, Kissimmee, FL Recruited to play on the USA Pan American team age 14 High school varsity baseball 1994-1997. Starting pitcher Freshman year through Senior year, won Nevada High School state tournament all four years. Was only Nevada pitcher to go undefeated Junior and Senior years. Green Valley baseball was nationally ranked all four years with many players being drafted and playing in Major League Baseball including Taylor. As a freshman the Gators were playing in a Spring tournament in San Diego called the Lions tournament. They made it to the finals and had used all their Senior and junior pitchers. Taylor was Called on to pitch the final game against a powerful team from Long Beach, CA. The Gators won behind the young freshman's masterful job, pitching a complete game and winning the highly coveted tournament. It was at that point his coaches realized he was going to be something special. They utilized his talent for the next 4 years to dominate high school baseball. 1997 after being recruited by several colleges, he signed a letter of intent to play at UNLV. The same year at the MLB June amateur he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays.