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Cutters’ Taeg Gollert has elevated his game in first half

There isn't much room for improvement in the MLB Draft League. With just 30 total games before the first half of the league concludes and the MLB Draft begins, hitters and pitchers alike treat the league less like an opportunity to develop and more like a way to showcase their talents.

That said, run of form still permeates in the league.

Whether it be a minor tweak in form or getting more comfortable with the talent in the league, late bloomers can not only provide an unexpected X-factor to a team, but be the catalyst required for a late push up the standings.

For the Williamsport Crosscutters, infielder Taeg Gollert, already a steady member of the starting lineup, has elevated his game into such an X-factor late in the first half season.

A consistent, pragmatic hitter throughout his career, Gollert has spent his last three collegiate seasons playing for Missouri State in the Mountain Valley Conference. The Toronto, Canada native had been a mainstay for the Bears since coming on campus, appearing in 158 games across three seasons.

His freshman year, Gollert tabbed a .284 average with 11 home runs in 55 starts. He also netted 19 doubles, fifth most among freshmen in the country at the time. That breakout campaign further extended into his next two college years. With the Canadian batting .318 and .319 in his sophomore and junior seasons. In 2025, along with a .319 average, Gollert brought in 44 runs, his third straight year with 40 runs batted in or more.

The Toronto native also showcased his versatility, with Gollert splitting time between left field and first base. Across his three collegiate years, Gollert has played every part of the outfield, as well as first base, third base, and one stint at the mound.

But as many athletes and recruits are quick to realize, the MLB Draft League can be a different beast entirely.

A consistent hitter that frequents the basepaths, The first few weeks in the MLB Draft League had Gollert with an average in the mid-two's. While not poor by any stretch, it represented a far cry from his efforts and college with the Toronto native on base for his worst average in organized baseball since he was a teenager.

But as the season continued, Gollert would begin to thrive.

In seven games played over the last two weeks, Gollert has batted a scorching .375 average, netting two trademark doubles and even getting his first homerun with the Cutters. Across the seven games, Gollert has brought in five runs and garnered an OPS of 1.083, third highest among qualified hitters in that timeframe.

The two week form has extended out to his career with Cutters. Heading into Wednesday night's series finale against the Trenton Thunder, Gollert's average has gone into the .300's for the first time this season, which includes five extra base hits and a season OPS of .875.

Surprising to no one that knows him, the 22-year-old also has four doubles, highest amongst Crosscutter hitters and is ninth highest in the league.

From having a minimal high school career due to the COVID-19 pandemic and playing across America as part of the Mississauga HPP Tigers travel program as a teenager, Gollert has taken every obstacle in front of him and has managed to pass such constraints with flying colors. With the MLB Draft League approaching its dying embers in the first half, Gollert looks have passed his toughest obstacle yet between him and the minor leagues.