2022 18th Round Pick (#527): Andrew Walters - P - (JR) Miami (FL)

[86this]

2022 18th Round Pick (#527): Andrew Walters - P - (JR) Miami (FL)
 

[Big Mac]

Big time college numbers:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=walter003and

[Tony-OH]

19 minutes ago, Big Mac said:

Big time college numbers:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=walter003and

17.9 K/9 wow! With that K-rate and still being available in the 18th round, teams must think his stuff really won't play against professional hitters.

[Aglets]

Nice write up from MLB.com.

"Walters wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school in Florida and headed to Eastern Florida State College, a two-year school in Brevard County. After a year there shortened by the pandemic, he moved to Miami and made an immediate impact out of the bullpen. He became the Canes’ closer in 2022 and has been among the Division I leaders in saves. At this point, Walters is pretty much a one-pitch pitcher. The 6-foot-4 right-hander throws his fastball more than 90 percent of the time and goes right after hitters with it. It tops out at 99 mph and averages over 95. Even though opponents know it’s coming, they can’t hit it, with a whiff rate of over 40 percent this spring. There’s deception in his delivery, as he steps across his body and hides the ball well, making it tough to pick up, and the pitch has really good life up in the zone. Walters does have a slurvy breaking ball at present, but it’s a below-average show-me pitch at this point. He’s been filling up the strike zone consistently this year, and while he obviously will have to work on finding a secondary pitch to his unhittable fastball, it’s hard to argue with the success he’s had at the end of Miami’s pen."

[lovetoaster]

Ranked 130 by MLB.com. 

Definitely sounds like an overslot guy.

[bpilktree]

I love this pick so much On the day 3 what’s left thread I mentioned him as super high upside guy I wanted them to select and see if they could harness that fastball and give him another pitch to become late inning guy with two plus pitches.   You can’t teach upper 90s fastballs. 

[Hazmat]

This is a fun video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm0eCYBgne8

[Jammer7]

That is easy hoppy cheddar! If only they can sign him and teach him a slider. Wow…

[Ripken]

Love this.  You can teach other pitches.  Big arm!

[sportsfan8703]

Big time arm. Great get in the late rounds if he signs. 

[PeteCanes]

Walters was a monster for the Canes this year

[baltfan]

IF we get this kid, Showalter, and Carter Young, I could not be happier with this draft.

[RVAOsFan]

Seems like a prime candidate to learn that change up that so many other guys have started having success with.

[LookinUp]

3 hours ago, baltfan said:

IF we get this kid, Showalter, and Carter Young, I could not be happier with this draft.

I'd wager that's a long shot. Seems like Young and Walters could be tough to sign, but at the same time the O's seemingly have a good/great development system and can likely make a strong case to those guys.

[baltfan]

46 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

I'd wager that's a long shot. Seems like Young and Walters could be tough to sign, but at the same time the O's seemingly have a good/great development system and can likely make a strong case to those guys.

I could see them getting Walters.  He profiles as a reliever which means he is unlikely to be picked very high next year.  Young probably is a lost cause.