Are you talking glove or bat? If Taylor gives us 80% of Span's offensive value these last couple seasons then we have our leadoff hitter for the next 4 or 5 years. If he is better than Span with the bat then you combine that with his glove and we have a star.
I am saying both. I think he is better than Span defensively right now, and, if he could get his K rate down to 25%, he is a better offensive player, the same way I think Mike Cameron was a better offensive player, at least through the same age, than Span.
Span is a very nice fit for this team the past couple of years due to his OBP. I do not think Taylor ever should hit leadoff, so I don't see him as filling the same function in the batting order as Span. I'm hoping for a .340 OBP but expecting .315 - .325 from Taylor, and that just should never go near leadoff or #2. Taylor has big power potential and also great speed. I think if he gets his Ks under control, with his speed and power, I think he can be a terrific #5 / #6 hitter. More or less, think Desi 2012 - 2014, with a lower average and more walks.
As for defense, I'll agree that advanced stats underrate and don't quite capture what our eyes say about Span's defense, but Taylor has a better arm and more speed and range. Again, advanced stats aren't everything, but you realize Taylor grades out as the best outfielder defensively in baseball this year on UZR, a plus arm, top 15 on DRS (despite playing 50+ fewer innings than all but one guy ahead of him and having a high K staff), top 20 in out of zone outs, and top 10 in zone rating. That is an awful lot of ways of slicing the data, all pointing towards an excellent defensive season.
