Walls began a postgame journaling routine during the second half of the 2022 season…He takes a few minutes at the end of each day to transfer his thoughts to paper, during which he answers three questions: What did I do well today? What did I learn today? What am I going to do better tomorrow?...Walls ordered hats for Rays teammates with the logo of his dad’s business, Walls Well Drilling, Inc…His great-grandfather started the company, and it has remained in the family…It went by Walls & Sons when his grandpa owned it and employed Walls’ father and uncle...He and his wife, Hallie, welcomed a daughter, Sutton Grace, in April 2021 and celebrated the birth of their son, Davis Nolan, in September 2023…The couple, who met at Florida State, have a golden retriever named Maverick…Hallie first saw Taylor while attending an FSU baseball game with her mom...Walls is one of five Florida State alumni to appear for the Rays, joining Kevin Cash, Matt Diaz, Sean Gilmartin and Paul Wilson...Although he goes by Taylor, Davis is a family name…Several generations of men in his family have shared the name before him, and Walls passed it down to his son...His hobbies include video games, hunting and playing basketball…He has also been known to enjoy a friendly game of ping pong in the clubhouse...His hometown of Cordele is known as the watermelon capital of the world…Converted school buses hauling thousands of watermelons were a common sight in the summertime.
2024
Appeared in 84 games, including 68 starts at shortstop, in his fourth Major league campaign…Opened the season on the 60-day IL after undergoing surgery on Oct. 27, 2023 to repair a torn labrum…Began his rehab assignment on May 21 and was reinstated on June 7...Ranked second in the Majors with 12 defensive runs saved at shortstop, trailing STL's Masyn Winn (14), this despite ranking 28th in innings played at the position (625.1)…His career-high three triples tied for second-most on the club behind Jonny DeLuca (four)…His 12.3% walk rate ranked eighth in the AL (min. 250 PA)…His 20.3% chase rate was 10th...Stole 16 bases in 20 attempts…From 2023-24, his 88.4% stolen base rate ranked fourth in the AL behind teammate Josh Lowe (93.4%), HOU's Kyle Tucker (89.1%) and OAK's Zack Gelof (88.6%)…Min. 250 total chances, his .988 fielding percentage ranked second among AL shortstops behind SEA's J.P. Crawford (.991) and fourth among all major league shortstops, also trailing LAD's Miguel Rojas (.993) and CHC's Dansby Swanson (.990)…Committed only one error in his first 69 games through Sept. 7…Had two in his final 15 contests...Over a quarter of his 40 hits came on the first pitch...Went 12-for-36 (.333) when putting a pitcher’s initial offering in play...The Rays went 46-38 in his appearances and recorded a 34-44 mark when he did not play...On June 7 vs. BAL, went 2-for-4 with a double in his season debut...On Aug. 14 vs. HOU, matched a career high (six times) with two stolen bases...On Sept. 4 vs. MIN, drove in a season-high three runs with a two-run single and sacrifice fly...On Sept. 7 at BAL, hit his lone home run of the season off Zach Eflin, ending an 81-game, 217-at-bat drought without a long ball.
2023
Appeared in 99 games and made 87 starts (2B-33G, SS-28G, 3B-26G)…was on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain from July 22–Sept. 1...Set career highs in RBI (36) and SB (22) while his eight HR matched a career high set in 2022...Became the fifth player (15th instance) in Rays history to steal 20+ bases before the All-Star break…on the season, recorded a team-leading five multi-steal games, ahead of Randy Arozarena (4G)...Stole 22 bases in 23 attempts (95.7 SB%)…the 95.7 pct. success rate was the highest mark in club history (min. 20 attempts)...Despite being limited to 99 games due to injury, his 10 Defensive Runs Saved tied for seventh most among AL infielders...Made his second straight Opening Day roster, both with the Rays...Hit .412 (14-for-34) with 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR and 8 RBI against left handed pitching from Opening Day–May 27…during that stretch, led AL hitters vs. LHP (min. 30PA) in OPS (1.238) and slugging pct. (.765) while ranking fifth in average…from May 31–end of the season, hit .152 (7-for-46) with 1 XBH (2B) and 3 RBI vs. LHP...Had three games with 3+ hits within his first 31 games of the season…entered the season with no such performances in 196 career games...Hit safely in a career-best six straight games from April 1-12...Joined Luke Raley as the only Rays to have both a triple and home run in multiple games (April 18 at CIN & May 14 at NYY)…they became the first Rays to accomplish the feat since Steven Souza Jr. had two such performances in 2017...Was the only Ray in 2023 to steal multiple bases in back-to-back games (May 25-26)...was the first Ray to do so since Randy Arozarena (2G) from June 28-29, 2022...On April 18 at CIN, joined Rocco Baldelli (Sept. 14, 2006 at NYY) and Mike Zunino (Sept. 7, 2021 at BOS) as the only players in club history to record a triple and 2+ HR in the same game…became the fourth player (fifth instance) in Rays history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game, and the first since Ben Zobrist (April 13, 2014 at TEX)...On April 30 at CWS, became the second Rays hitter with 4+ hits, a HR and 2+ SB in a game, joining Carl Crawford on May 24, 2006 at Toronto (5H, HR, 4SB)...On May 14 at NYY, hit his first career grand slam off Albert Abreu...POSTSEASON: Started both games of the ALWC vs. Texas went 2-for-4 in Game 1 and 0-2 in Game 2 before being replaced by Junior Caminero.
2022
Appeared in 142 games and made 122 starts (80-SS, 22-2B, 20-3B) in his first full season in the Majors…led the team with 19 Defensive Runs Saved, which tied for third among major league infielders behind PIT Ke’Bryan Hayes (24) and COL Brendan Rodgers (22)…was the most among AL infielders over CLE Andrés Giménez (17)...Had 11 Defensive Runs Saved at shortstop, tied for fourth in the majors…had 5 Defensive Runs Saved at third base and three DRS at second base...Min. 300 AB, his .172 avg. was the second-lowest in the Majors, ahead of NYY/LAD Joey Gallo (.160)…was the lowest mark in franchise history, passing Carlos Pe?a (.196) in 2010…hit .110 (24- for-219) on the road, the lowest avg. in the majors and the lowest in club history (min. 100 AB)...Was one of four players from the Opening Day roster to remain active all season, joining Jason Adam, Randy Arozarena and Corey Kluber...Made the first Opening Day roster of his career...On April 30 vs. MIN, hit a solo homer in the second inning, snapping homerless droughts of 54 games and 145 AB…the homer was the second of his career and first since June 9, 2021 vs. WSH...On June 7 vs. STL, hit a three-run homer off Drew VerHagen in the 10th inning for the first walkoff hit of his career…marked his first multi-RBI game since Sept. 22, 2021 vs. TOR (2)…entered the at-bat with a .147 avg., the lowest season avg. before hitting a walk-off homer (min. 100 PA) since MTL Nate Colbert (.143) on Aug. 2, 1975 vs. PHI, according to Stats LLC, and the fourth-lowest since 1901…was the first two-out, two-strike walk-off homer for the Rays since Sean Rodríguez on May 22, 2014 vs. OAK and the sixth in club history...Became the fifth shortstop in franchise history to hit a walk-off homer, following Willy Adames on Aug. 7, 2018 vs. BAL, Ben Zobrist on Sept. 7, 2012 vs. TEX, Reid Brignac on Sep. 13, 2010 vs. NYY and Kevin Stocker on May 12, 1998 vs. CLE...On Aug. 2 vs. TOR, recorded both of the Rays hits in a 3-1 loss…broke up Kevin Gausman’s no-hit bid with a single leading off the 6th inning and hit a solo homer off Jordan Romano in the ninth...On Sept. 17 vs. TEX, homered as a right-handed batter for the first time in his career, hitting a solo shot off Taylor Hearn in the fifth inning...On Sept. 30 at HOU, hit a solo homer off Phil Maton in the eighth inning as the Rays clinched a Wild Card berth…homered on the road for the first time, ending a streak of eight HR at home to start his career…ended a drought of 286 road at-bats without a homer to start his career...Appeared in both games of the AL Wild Card Series at CLE, including a Game 1 start at second base…was used as a pinch-hitter in Game 2 and stayed in the game at third base.
2021
Appeared in 54 games and made 44 starts over three stints with the Rays: May 22–July 23, Sep 1-6 and Sep 11-20…his first stint began after Willy Adames was traded to the Brewers and included a minimum stay on the 10-day IL due to right wrist tendinitis... Despite only 54 games at the major league level, his 10 Defensive Runs Saved tied for third among major-league shortstops behind HOU Carlos Correa (20) and MIN Andrelton Simmons (15)... On May 22 at TOR, made his major league debut as the starting shortstop and doubled in each of the fifth and ninth innings, becoming the sixth Ray with multiple hits in his major league debut and first with multiple extra-base hits…became the third switch-hitter in the modern era (since 1900) to have an extra-base hit from each side of the plate in his major league debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau…joined MIN Rich Becker on Sep 10, 1993, at TEX and TEX George Wright on April 10, 1982, at CLE... On June 9 vs. WSH, hit his first career homer, a solo shot off Kyle Finnegan... Named Minor League Defensive of the Year by the Rays Baseball Operations department, the third straight minor league season he won the award (2018-19)…had a .972 fielding pct. in 52 games for Durham and played three infield positions: shortstop, second base and third base... Ranked by Baseball America as the Best Defensive Shortstop in Triple-A East in its Best Tools survey.
2020
Was part of the Rays 60-man player pool and spent the summer at the alternate training site in Port Charlotte...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 15 prospect in the Rays system following the season… the publication also tabbed him as the Best Defensive Infielder in the organization for a second consecutive year…earned the nod for Best Infield Arm for the first time.
2019
In 2019, named Defensive Player of the Year by the Rays Baseball Operations department for a second straight year…recorded a .972 fielding pct. between Class-A Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery, earning a June 25 promotion. Hit a combined .270/.343/.452 (99-for-367) with 10 HR, 46 RBI and 28 SB between the two levels...Missed nearly a month toward the start of the season with a left quad strain...Named to the Florida State League midseason All-Star Team...Ranked among Rays minor leaguers in extrabase hits (40, tied for 8th) and stolen bases (4th)...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 19 prospect in the Rays system following the season… the publication also tabbed him as having the Best Strike-Zone Judgment in the FSL in its Best Tools survey.
2018
In 2018, named to the Midwest League midseason All-Star Team…ranked 2nd in the MWL with 87 runs and 3rd with 142 hits...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in the Rays system following the season…the publication also tabbed him as the Best Defensive Shortstop in the MWL in its Best Tools survey
