The NC Dinos announced the signing of former minor league pitcher Curtis Taylor. The Canadian right-hander agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $900,000 and will join the KBO club. Taylor brings Triple-A experience to bolster the team's pitching staff.
The NC Dinos announced on December 11, 2025, the signing of former minor league pitcher Curtis Taylor. The Canadian right-hander agreed to a one-year contract with a $420,000 salary and $280,000 signing bonus, plus up to $200,000 in incentives for a potential total of $900,000.
A fourth-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2016 MLB Draft, Taylor has yet to reach the majors but advanced to Triple-A. In 2025, he made 31 appearances, including 24 starts, for the St. Louis Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, posting a 10-4 record with a 3.21 ERA over 137 1/3 innings. He struck out 118 batters while walking 51.
Taylor has pitched in the minors for the Twins, Cubs, Nationals, Blue Jays, Rays, and Diamondbacks, as well as in Mexico. Across four Triple-A seasons, he holds an 11-5 record with a 3.62 ERA in 196 2/3 innings, accumulating 183 strikeouts and 78 walks. Standing at 198 cm, Taylor features a five-pitch mix: four-seam fastball (up to 154 km/h), sweeper, cutter, sinker, and changeup.
Dinos general manager Lim Sun-nam said, "He can command all five of his pitches. He can overpower hitters and can also pitch to contact. We expect him to play a big role for us in 2026."
In a message relayed by the Dinos, Taylor noted he grew up in Vancouver as a fan of Korean pop culture and cited Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning film "Parasite" as a favorite. The Dinos' 2025 foreign pitchers were Riley Thompson and Logan Allen; they opted not to re-sign Allen and are working to retain Thompson, who tied for the KBO lead with 17 wins and ranked third with 216 strikeouts. The team also acquired former Yomiuri Giants pitcher Natsuki Tado as their Asian quota player on Wednesday.
