STATESBORO, Ga. - Former Armstrong Atlantic State University outfielder and 2012 Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year Zach Taylor inked a professional deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, joining the organization that made him a 12th-round draft pick in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft earlier in the month.

Taylor will report immediately to the Phillies' minor league camp in Clearwater Beach, Fla., to await assignment to one of Philadelphia's short-season leagues, which begin play later this month.

The Statesboro, Ga., native hit .373 with 15 home runs and 71 RBIs, leading the Peach Belt in both homers and RBIs. Taylor also stole 21-of-25 bases while slugging .699 for the season.

Taylor was a first-team All-American selection by both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) in 2012.

Taylor is the 25th player to be drafted from Armstrong since Warren Bachman (1982) was the first Pirate to be selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. Overall, the Pirates have sent 73 players to professional baseball in the last 30 years and Taylor joins a Phillies organization that also includes former Pirate and 2007 21st-round draftee Jeremy Horst, who is currently 2-1 with a 1.99 ERA and one save in AAA at Lehigh Valley.