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

[LookinUp]

14 minutes ago, baltfan said:

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.  

Heard he might have a high number because he wants to play in college with his brother next year. No idea if that's accurate, posturing or what.

[byrdz]

On 7/20/2022 at 11:43 AM, LookinUp said:

Heard he might have a high number because he wants to play in college with his brother next year. No idea if that's accurate, posturing or what.

Cross posting this here with the relevant portion highlighted.

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

McDaniels thoughts on the draft:

I predictably liked what the Orioles did with their first six picks: position-player heavy and everyone drafted close to my ranking. Holliday was in the tightly packed group of three defensible No. 1 overall options, even though he was technically my third-ranked player. Beavers has a divisive hand pump in his swing but has growth markers and tools for the mid-first round if the O's can improve his timing. Wagner was a late popup with a 55 bat who might get to all of his fringy raw power and is a solid second or third baseman. The O's tried to get Fabian last year and landed their man this time, likely for less, as he was up-and-down this season but the tools are still there. McLean has Michael Lorenzen vibes with 80 raw power, a solid glove at third base and starter traits with above-average stuff; I think he's better as a pitcher long-term since it's a 20 or 30 grade bat. Ardoin is the son of a former big league catcher who is also likely to get a good bit of big league time.

Walters was a later flier who is unlikely to sign but was a solid third-rounder for me: 96-98 with plus characteristics, above-average off-speed stuff and solid command but probably relief only. Young is also unlikely to sign as he's set to be the everyday shortstop for LSU, but is a switch-hitter with plus raw power if he can get the contact elements to return. Bright is a solid utility righty with above-average stuff, Hodo has plus physical ability with some pitch selection concerns, Showalter is up to 96 mph with a good slider from a low slot but with a relief look, Johnson is a potentially quick-moving power middle relief type, and Firoved is another potential middle relief type with numbers-friendly, above-average stuff.

[Hazmat]

41 minutes ago, byrdz said:

Cross posting this here with the relevant portion highlighted.

Well that's disappointing.  I'd rather they sign Walters over Young, but would be disappointed if we ended up 0 for 2.  It's interesting that McDaniels says that Walters has above average off-speed stuff.  From the little that I've read on Walters, he was described as a fastball guy who had weak secondary offerings.

[waroriole]

 

[pdiddy]

Bummer. Good for the U. Bad for us.

The way Miami is crushing NIL deals he might make more back at school (kidding…mostly).

[MurphDogg]

Odd decision not to mention and thank the Orioles in his statement. Hope it works out for him and he enjoys playing with his brother.

Starting to feel like the old Syd Thrift confederate money days.

I wonder whether the Orioles have any undrafted targets that they may splash some unspent pool money on.

[interloper]

Starting to feel a little like the scouts misjudged some of these kids re: signability. I feel like that's been a strength in recent years, but it is what it is. This happens sometimes. 

[RZNJ]

10 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Odd decision not to mention and thank the Orioles in his statement. Hope it works out for him and he enjoys playing with his brother.

Starting to feel like the old Syd Thrift confederate money days.

I wonder whether the Orioles have any undrafted targets that they may splash some unspent pool money on.

No announcement on McLean yet.  We don't know if there is any unspent pool money yet.

This is disappointing but not surprising.  

[Just Regular]

I guess these are the hours for the mental note that if McLean ends up at $1mm and not 500k, maybe throw a 61* asterisk by that number.

Anyone signing before the fun house mirror bending of the last few hours is I think a fairer consensus of Elias' assessment in a vacuum.

[Hazmat]

Well that stinks.  I've seen Firoved and Walters compared as being somewhat similar with both relying heavily on the fastball.  It will be interesting to watch how quickly Firoved moves through the system.

[MurphDogg]

13 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

No announcement on McLean yet.  We don't know if there is any unspent pool money yet.

This is disappointing but not surprising.  

I feel pretty confident saying that McLean and Hicks aren't going to be signing for $1.2M over their slot values. 

We don't know the numbers yet, but there will be unspent pool money.

[baltfan]

31 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Odd decision not to mention and thank the Orioles in his statement. Hope it works out for him and he enjoys playing with his brother.

Starting to feel like the old Syd Thrift confederate money days.

I wonder whether the Orioles have any undrafted targets that they may splash some unspent pool money on.

It's not confederate money.  We took flyers on some guys.  The problem is that NIL deals can really help these guys make up what they might have lost.  

[baltfan]

Just now, MurphDogg said:

I feel pretty confident saying that McLean and Hicks aren't going to be signing for $1.2M over their slot values. 

We don't know the numbers yet, but there will be unspent pool money.

If that is the case, then so be it unless you can show that any of the guys who we might have signed would have signed for what we saved.

[MurphDogg]

Walters wanted $1.7M, so all of the overslot dollars plus the 4.9 percent overage. Not surprising that the Orioles passed on that.

[seak05]

Yeah, that's crazy money for a reliever in a draft. My guess is the Orioles took a shot hoping he'd sign for less at the end of the day...and he decided no. I can live with that