Taylor Walker

Taylor Walker

Former Ranger standout and two-time NJCAA Second Team All-American Taylor Walker enters his fifth full season on the Northwest baseball staff.

Walker serves as first base coach and infield instructor while also helping with recruiting efforts.

Walker was a volunteer assistant during the 2011 season, and in his four seasons back at his alma mater, the Rangers are 154-93 overall and 69-31 in division/conference play with three MACJC runner-up finishes. 

A member of the Rangers’ 2007 squad who finished fourth at the NJCAA World Series, Walker was a two-year starter and standout at shortstop during the 2007-08 seasons for head coach Mark Carson. Northwest boasted a 66-33-1 record in his two seasons, including just the fourth 40-win season in school history. 

Also an NJCAA Academic All-American selection in 2007, Walker boasted a school-record .449 lifetime average with 135 hits, 94 runs scored, 87 RBIs, 32 doubles and 19 home runs. One of the most eye-popping stats, however, is the fact that in 351 career plate appearances, Walker struck out just 23 times, drawing 34 walks and 16 hit-by-pitches. 

Walker went on to play a pair of seasons at Southern Mississippi, helping the Eagles to their first-ever College World Series appearance in 2009. The Eagles finished with a 40-26 record, winning the Atlanta Regional and Gainesville Super Regional. USM also made a NCAA Regional appearance his senior season after winning the C-USA Tournament, finishing the year at 36-24.

A 2010 C-USA Preseason All-American, C-USA All-Tournament Team and C-USA All-Academic Team selection, Walker played and started in all 123 career games at USM, hitting .335 with 128 runs scored, 86 RBIs, 22 doubles, 11 home runs and 17 stolen bases in 23 attempts.

Walker received his bachelor’s from USM in 2010 in sport management, with a minor in business, and masters from USM in sport coaching education in 2012. 

Walker was also a four-year letterman in both football and baseball at Senatobia High School, quarterbacking his team to the 2004 state championship and being named MVP of the game. He earned all-state honors and was named to The Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen Team as a senior.

Walker is married to the former Candi Gable of Senatobia, and the couple welcomed their first child, Ryleigh Jane, on March 29, 2016. They will celebrate their 4-year wedding anniversary on July 13, 2017. 

Walker also has three older sisters, Leslie and Lori, who each played softball at Northwest, and Janey who played at MUW.