John Taylor has built a following by helping baseball players find the right equipment. Now, the Texas Rangers infielder is working toward a different kind of breakthrough: reaching the major leagues.

Taylor, better known as JT, is the co-founder of Baseball Bat Bros, a YouTube channel dedicated to testing and reviewing baseball bats alongside his older brother, Will. The platform has attracted more than 1.2 million subscribers, establishing Taylor as a recognizable figure in the baseball content space.

His playing career, however, has followed a less conventional route. After going undrafted in 2024, Taylor continued pursuing professional baseball outside affiliated ball before earning a contract with Texas in 2025. Since then, he has progressed through the Rangers’ minor-league system, reaching Triple-A in 2026.

Now ranked as Texas’ No. 22 prospect, Taylor has an opportunity to turn his unexpected rise into a major league career.

Taylor’s path to affiliated baseball included stops at two colleges, with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette serving as his final collegiate destination. When he went undrafted in 2024, his professional aspirations remained unresolved.

Rather than ending his pursuit, Taylor continued exploring other opportunities, eventually playing independent ball for the Milwaukee Milkmen in 2024 and the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in 2025.

His performance there helped attract attention from major league organizations. After producing a .832 OPS in independent ball, he signed with the Rangers in June 2025 and began working his way through their farm system.

Taylor’s rise has continued at a rapid pace. He began his affiliated career in High-A before opening the 2026 season in Double-A. His subsequent promotion to the Round Rock Express placed him one level below the majors.

Taylor’s 2026 offensive production has helped strengthen his standing within the organization. The left-handed hitter finished the season with a .272 batting average, 14 home runs, 88 RBIs and 21 stolen bases across 452 at-bats.

Primarily a third baseman, Taylor offers Texas a combination of power production and baserunning ability. His performance also gives the organization another position player to evaluate as it considers future options for its major-league roster.

Still, reaching Triple-A is not a guarantee of a major league opportunity. Taylor must continue demonstrating that his production can translate against increasingly advanced pitching while showing he can handle the demands of the next level.

His unusual background also makes his development particularly interesting. Taylor has balanced a public presence in baseball media with the pursuit of a professional playing career, but his results on the field will ultimately determine how far he advances.