by Matt Sisk
Walker: Rightfield Ranger
by
, 01-18-2013 at 03:04 PM (886 Views)
Is anyone else as excited as I am about the Twins 3rd-round-pick last June? I am talking about the 97th overall selection named Adam Walker. This guy barely made the top 100 players drafted in 2012, but his initial return showed immense power promise. So much so, that I wanted to upset some people (and bring joy to others) by comparing him favorably to Giancarlo Stanton. Dang right people.
Even for a casual baseball fan, Stanton is a recognizable figure. He stands 6'5 at a healthy weight and hits baseballs several city blocks at a time. Walker has him matched in height and could someday match Giancarlo in hitting power as well. Adam did not waste his time at Jacksonville in the weight room. But he is two years younger than Stanton at 21, and can be projected to get even stronger. He signed quickly with the Twins and flexed his muscle with 14 HR's in 58 games of Rookie ball.
Yes, as a 21-yr-old, Stanton hit 34 bombs for the Marlins. So we cannot expect Walker to be the type of special talent that Stanton was and is. But we do have a special rightfielder in Walker. This is a player that will combine elite power with great speed at his spot in the lineup. He merely stole four bases last summer, but he also hit four triples. So, one can see how his speed will show up in his stat line.
Adam may never match the production of the superstar that is Giancarlo Stanton. But, if Walker progresses from his pro-debut season by getting his strikeouts under control....he could be a 30 HR guy in a full season. That would get him moving towards Minnesota in a hurry!
However, his strikeouts at the plate were definitely out-of-control last summer. So there is the chance that Walker will not make the necessary adjustments to keep hitting for power at the low-A level. But I want to believe in this guy! It sounds like he will get a fair shot alongside Max Kepler in Cedar Rapids next spring.
Can Walker hit enough bombs to cover up his unsightly strikeout totals and meager batting average? Hope and projections are what we have.
Check out Adam's long levers at work here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoNzgFd3Zvg
johnnydakota and Jim Crikket like this.
Updated 01-20-2013 at 10:30 PM by mnfanforlife
Tags:
adam walker,
giancarlo stanton
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