Taylor Hart was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2008 MLB draft after a stellar high school career.  He arrives in North Adams after enjoying a fine sophomore year at Georgia College and State University under Tom Carty and reconnects with Gray Carden, a summer teammate in 2009.  Hart was part of a Bobcats’ pitching staff that helped the team to the third-best record in the Peach Belt Conference (35-17, 15-9) and a brief number one overall ranking in Division II.

After returning from arm surgery as a redshirt sophomore in 2011, Hart was 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA and a save in eight appearances with three starts. The Colbert, Georgia native logged 20 innings, surrendering 27 hits while walking only eight batters and striking out 19. Hart’s role in the pitching staff increased as the season wore on and he showed no signs of the arm injury. Hart pitched more than half his innings against counterparts in the dangerous Peach Belt Conference. At one point during the season, the PBC had seven different teams in the top 25 national polls, including the Bobcats.