While he dominated primarily with a mid-90s fastball that touched 97-98 on plenty of occasions, he also flashed a plus power curveball that could turn him into a monster if he can be more consistent with it. One scout put it best by saying, "The thing I like best about him is his birthday," as the ultra-athletic righty doesn't turn 19 until August. He arguably has the highest ceiling of any pitcher in the Midwest League, but the amazing thing is there are plenty of nights that he's one of the best pitchers on the circuit right now.
Well, I know who Goldstein is going to rank as a 5 star prospect THIS year.
The Typical Idiot Fan - June 20, 2011
Only question is where he shows up on the 'Top 100 in baseball' lists....
Walker’s season’s been off the charts amazing.
marc w - June 20, 2011
I know I wasn't expecting him to be this good this soon. I'm sure most top 100 rankers are like "Oh god, what do we do with this kid now?"
Kenneth Arthur - June 20, 2011
"Oh, he plays in the Mariners farm system? Just throw him somewhere in the 70's."
wyte_lightning - June 20, 2011
Naw, that kind of disrepsectful consternation is reserved for Dustin Ackley only.
Or Carlos Triunfel. Most people didn’t have a problem putting Pineda or Franklin in he top 50, but Ackley? He was always “overrated”.
Triunfel, on the other hand, was polarizing. He was either top 50 or not even at all in the top 200.
The Typical Idiot Fan - June 20, 2011
How's Triunfel doing?
Haven’t heard much about him, lately.
vj - June 21, 2011
He's basically doing like Lopez did, but a level lower and a year older.
Lopez was a pretty exciting prospect though.
Bearskin Rugburn - June 21, 2011
Lopez never lost a year to a broken leg
seattlebruin - June 21, 2011
This is true
In that case the Lopez comparison is perhaps even better. Though, I didn’t pay very much attention to the minors when Lopez was coming up.
JY, marc, someone… Triunfel/Lopez – extremely similar or just very similar?
Bearskin Rugburn - June 21, 2011
Eerily similar.
JY - June 21, 2011
I think Triunfel has more power, actually.
Or certainly has the body frame to add more. I don’t see him popping balls up for 300 to 350 feet. I could see him making more solid line drive contact.
The Typical Idiot Fan - June 21, 2011
After being declared pretty much not a prospect, he's gotten some of his shine back by finally hitting the ball a bit.
joof - June 21, 2011
We should have signed Alberto Triunfel.
Then we can have the double play twins back, and they’ll actually be related.
CapSea - June 22, 2011
That might be over-hyping it a bit
He’s got some great numbers, but I wouldn’t call them “off the charts amazing”. Excellent strikeout rate, but not jaw-dropping. His walk rate has been fine, but no more than about average. There are good reasons to be excited by what he’s done so far, but it’s not in the realm of amazing at this point.
nathaniel dawson - June 20, 2011
If Goldstein is correct and he's touching high 90's with a plus curve at his age. that is somewhere off of the charts of the normal realm of what 19 year olds are supposed to do.
And his numbers mostly back that up.
Kenneth Arthur - June 20, 2011
Are you nuts? He's got a 3.5 K/BB as an extreme groundballer in a league where the average pitcher is THREE years older than he is.
As he advances through the levels he may lose some of his Ks facing better hitters but the grounders will keep him a premier prospect.
Bearskin Rugburn - June 21, 2011
And being a premier prospect is "off the charts"?
There are plenty of premier prospects in baseball every year. I’m just saying, this is not other-worldly or even extremely spectacular. You can find guys that have pitched at his level at his age that have been extremely spectacular or other-worldly. What he’s done is damn impressive, but not “OMG that’s amazing”.
It’s all about perspective. In a very short time, he’s made himself into one of the better pitching prospects in the Mariners minors, if not the minors as a whole. But what we’ve seen so far doesn’t portend a once-in-a-lifetime talent, or even a sure fire top of the rotation Major League starter. That’s what I think of when I hear “off the charts amazing”.
nathaniel dawson - June 21, 2011
Semantics
Given the expectations Walker had coming into the year (“raw”, “inexperienced”, “two sport athlete still learning baseball” “recently moved from SS to pitcher full time” etc) what he’s done has been pretty damn amazing. I never expected him to perform half as well as he has, and I don’t think just about anyone else has either. If there’s a 2010 redraft tomorrow he’s probably a top 10 pick and maybe top 5. For a guy most thought was a reach at 44 just 12 months ago, that’s pretty amazing.
No one’s claiming he’s a once-in-a-generation talent, or a surefire TOR starter. Just that his year has been amazing. And if you would stop ignoring his groundball rates and consider them along with his K:BB numbers (not to mention his top shelf stuff), I think you’d find that to be a pretty fair descriptor.
dnc - June 21, 2011
For that matter, is there any pitcher in the minors who is definitely considered a surefire top of the rotation starter?
Fearless Frog - June 22, 2011
exactly
dnc - June 22, 2011
Semantics, yes
While I think what he’s done so far has been damn impressive, and definitely something to get excited about, I think coloring it as “off the charts amazing” is over-hyping it. That’s all I’m saying. Just trying to keep it in perspective.
nathaniel dawson - June 22, 2011
Boy do we love arguing.
abender20 - June 24, 2011
And by we, I mean you.
abender20 - June 24, 2011
I've only heard this in passing, so not sure of it's accuracy
But I’ve heard Walker’s fastball also has downward movement that has allowed him to maintain the groundball rate he’s been running this year.
It’ll be interesting as more prospect guys chime in on him. Heard a lot about him when he was drafted, but it was all potential at that point. Interested to see where his stuff is at after a year of work.
AndrewMcQ - June 20, 2011
I love this FO.
It’s hard to imagine that we were able to steal him from so many people picking in front of us.
Chipanese - June 20, 2011
Nick Franklin at 27
seattlebruin - June 21, 2011
He is having an awful June. =(
joof - June 21, 2011
He's having an awful year for home/road splits.
.207/.279/.302 on the road, and that’s with recent improvements!
JY - June 21, 2011
SELL SELL SELL?
AndrewMcQ - June 21, 2011
More like OH MY GOD PANIC
Or maybe stop anointing guys as SS of the Future after one year.
JY - June 21, 2011
Our Rendon-Franklin-Ackley-Smoak infield of the future is looking worse and worse
Bearskin Rugburn - June 21, 2011
.240 .298 .333 in June.
Though I guess so far it’s been 11 road games and 7 home games. But still. His April and May were much better.
joof - June 21, 2011
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Lookout Landing to post a comment.