Samford University Athletics

Samford head softball coach Kimball Cassady announced in the Fall of 2021 that Taylor Baynes was making his way to Birmingham to join her staff as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs.
 
In his first campaign in the 205, Baynes helped guide the Bulldogs to an overall record of 34-19, making it the first winning season since 2016. Samford posted a .265 team batting average, ranking third in the Southern Conference, and a .379 slugging percentage. The Bulldogs also captured a .338 on base percentage while recording 210 runs, 382 hits, 61 doubles, 30 home runs, and 180 RBIs during their standout 2022 season. 
 
Baynes joined the Bulldogs from the University of West Florida where he worked as a student assistant coach for the Argonaut softball program from 2016 to spring of 2021.
 
Baynes worked alongside outfielders and infielders in his time at West Florida as a graduate assistant from 2020 to the fall of 2021. His primary duties off the field included: recruiting and developing student-athlete progress, assisting in compliance, and the breakdown and editing of film. He was also a student assistant for the Argonaut softball program from 2016-2020 where he was involved with on-field coaching, skill development, and specialization of infield player development. Baynes was also involved in operations, managing field work, facilities, gear, and equipment.
 
Prior to his time as a student assistant, Taylor Baynes worked as a softball camp instructor for the University of West Florida, training and motivating potential student-athletes in the mechanics of softball. Baynes was also the point person for the planning, coordinating, and implementation of hitting and defensive lessons for the camps.
 
Baynes graduated from UWF in 2020 with an undergraduate degree in Fitness and Sports Coaching. He also attended Jefferson Davis Community College from 2013-2015 where he competed on the baseball team as a shortstop and on the mound as a pitcher. Before his time in college, Baynes attended Gulf Breeze High School where he was a standout student-athlete, lettering in baseball, soccer, and football.