Jordan Walker

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #1 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 70/High
  
  Track Record: As a rising high school senior, Walker was viewed as one of the best power hitters in the 2020 prep class, but he struggled with swing-and-miss on the summer showcase circuit. He rectified the issue and showed improved bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline for Decatur (Ga.) High prior to the 2020 coronavirus shutdown. The Cardinals selected Walker with the 21st overall pick that June and signed him for $2.9 million. Walker debuted with Low-A Palm Beach in 2021 and moved quickly to High-A Peoria after he put up a 1.162 OPS in 27 games. He spent 55 games in the Midwest League and hit .292/.344/.487 as one of the youngest players at the level. In 2022, Walker moved to Double-A Springfield, where he was the youngest position player at the classification to start the season. Walker responded with another standout campaign and hit .306/.388/.510 with 31 doubles and 19 home runs. Late in the season, the Cardinals moved Walker from third base to right field, where he projects to settle.
  
  Scouting Report: Walker has a tall, well-conditioned frame that projects strength and athleticism. He balances both power and contact at the plate. His longer levers lead to swing-and-miss, but he balances it with a simple, powerful swing and good tracking skills. Despite a longer swing path, Walker shows the ability to hit a variety of pitch shapes and locations. His best contact comes on the outer half of the plate, where he can extend his arms and drive balls to all fields. He's an aggressive hitter who likes to swing. While this approach can often lead to strikeouts, Walker's innate bat-to-ball skills and strength allow him to overcome his aggressive tendencies. The length of his levers and bat path help him cover the whole plate, while also allowing him to barrel pitches in the outside shadow zone. Walker's double-plus raw power flashes in games and is backed by standout exit velocity numbers. During the 2022 season, 45% of Walker's balls in play were hit at 95 mph or harder, and his 114.6 mph max exit velocity was in the 99th percentile among players 21 years or younger. Walker is an above-average runner and capable basestealer who has had a high success rate on stolen base attempts in the minor leagues. His speed comes from long, powerful strides that allow him to run the bases and roam the outfield at an above-average rate. In this way, Walker is equipped for his move to the outfield. He possesses a plus arm capable of making all the throws from a corner-outfield position. He profiles best in right field, but has seen some time in center field as well.
  
  The Future: Few players flash upside as immense as Walker's. He should see a majority of his time in 2022 in the major leagues. Equipped with plus power and average or better plate skills, Walker could develop into a perennial all-star.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 70. Run: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #1 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Walker used an impressive start to the 2020 spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season to vault himself forward on draft boards, resulting with a selection by the Cardinals with the 21st pick in the draft. He signed for a below-slot deal of $2.9 million to forego a commitment to Duke. He then had one of the best pro debuts of any 2020 draftee, hitting his way out of Low-A Palm Beach in 2021 after 27 games and ranking as the No. 2 prospect in Low-A Southeast. He continued to hit well at High-A Peoria, where he ranked as the No. 3 prospect in High-A Central. He stood out for his combination of power and feel for hitting, thus solidifying himself as the top prospect in the organization. Walker finished the season hitting .317/.388/.548 between the Class A levels with 14 home runs, 25 doubles and 14 stolen bases in 82 games, earning the organization’s minor league player of the year honors while shooting onto the Top 100 Prospects ranking.
  
  Scouting Report: Walker has an imposing 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame and rare strength for a teenager, crushing a ball at 116 mph off the bat in his first month as a professional. He’s got a good feel for hitting and an advanced approach for the game, impressing the organization with the way he made adjustments on the fly. The length to Walker’s swing produces some swing-and-miss issues, but he does a good job of catching up to velocity and has good knowledge of the strike zone. Walker hits the ball to all fields and should project for at least an average hit tool in the future to go along with plus-plus power as he matures. He posted a 15% walk rate and 17% strikeout rate at Low-A, but struggled to a 6% walk rate and 27% strikeout rate against more advanced pitchers at High-A, which is common for a young hitter facing more advanced arms. Some scouts believe he’ll continue to have trouble with spin due to his aggressiveness as a hitter. However, Walker does a good job of making adjustments on the fly and rarely makes the same mistake twice. Walker is a good athlete, runs well for his size and worked hard to improve at third base. He has good footwork and above-average arm strength, but he will need to improve his instincts and reactions to stick at the hot corner. Opposing scouts are split on whether he will fit at third base, with some believing he’ll end up at first base or right field, where his arm and offensive ability will profile well. Walker has an excellent work ethic, which should help give him a chance to stick at third base moving forward.
  
  The Future: Walker’s combination of tools and performance fit the profile of a future middle-of-the-order masher who could one day hit 35 home runs in a season. After the way he performed at the Class A levels in 2021, he looks ready for an assignment to Double-A, and it’s not out of the question that he could make it to Triple-A by the end of the 2022 season, setting himself up for a 2023 major league debut.
  
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #6 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 45. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Walker was one of the few high school prospects who got to play meaningful games in the spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down. He took advantage with a red-hot start to solidify himself as one of the top hitters and sluggers in the 2020 draft class. The Cardinals drafted him No. 21 overall and signed him for $2.9 million to forgo a Duke commitment. Walker was the last player signed by Cardinals area scout Charles Peterson, who died from Covid-19 three months later.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Walker has the long arms and a big frame befitting a power hitter. While he has some unavoidable length to his swing, he has shown a feel for hitting and can catch up to top velocity. He has a shot to be a fringe-average or even average hitter to go with his plus raw power, which will likely tick up to plus-plus as he continues to grow. Walker moves remarkably well for a big man and has an above-average arm at third base. His excellent work ethic gives him a shot to stick there, but he may have to move to first base depending on how much bigger he gets.
  
  THE FUTURE: Walker has a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order masher. He’s still a teenager yet to make his pro debut and is many years away.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #34 prospect in 2020 draft
  The best high school third baseman in the class, Walker is a massive-framed, 6-foot-5, 220-pound slugger committed to Duke. He’s also the top-ranked prep prospect out of Georgia, which has been more pitcher-heavy than bat-heavy in recent years. Walker was one of the high school players who managed to get seen early and often during the shortened 2020 season. He performed at a high level against solid competition while all those eyes were on him. Walker has a solid feel to hit with plus raw power and plenty more projected as he grows into more strength. While there are some questions about his natural feel to hit thanks to the length of his arms and some swing-and-miss concerns, Walker has progressed in the right direction and could be an average or slightly better hitter. He moves remarkably well considering his size, though many scouts still think he will move to first base or a corner outfield spot in the future. Walker was something of a polarizing player last summer because of questions about his profile, but he performed at the right time this spring and could go off the board at the end of the first round or shortly thereafter. Scouts praise Walker’s heady, cerebral nature and believe he could be a tough sign away from Duke, where he could elevate his draft stock with a few years of ACC performance.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Midwest League #3 prospect in 2021
  “Big power” is just one of the many accolades applied to Walker, the 21st overall pick in 2020. The 19-year-old required just 27 games at Low-A Palm Beach before joining High-A in late June. It’s rare for a high school draftee to spend most of his full-season debut in High-A, but it didn’t seem to faze Walker. He hit 317/.388/.548 with 14 homers in 82 games between the two Class A levels. “He’s impressive,” a scout said. “Big power, with feel for hitting, though he’ll have his struggles versus same-side spin due to over-aggressiveness and longer limbs.” While Walker’s strikeout rate spiked from 17% to 26% after the promotion to High-A, that didn’t concern scouts. His defense is more of an issue. “I’m not sold on his third base defense,” a scout said. “(I think) he likely moves to right field at some point.”
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #2 prospect in 2021
  Walker was undoubtedly an excellent draft prospect, but his early success caught evaluators off guard because of the sheer violence he inflicted on baseballs. He left the league with average and maximum exit velocities of 93.2 and 116.2 mph, with the latter being the hardest-hit ball all year on the circuit. “It’s stupid power,” one league manager said. “For a 19-year-old kid, the man strength he has is rare.” Evaluators were also impressed with the way Walker quickly adjusted at the plate. Specifically, if he got beat by a pitch in one at-bat, he wasn’t likely to let the same pitch beat him a second time. While Walker’s offensive potential is unquestioned, some doubt he will stick at third base. He’s already a big-bodied player and is still growing, and league managers noted that his footwork and reaction time will have to improve to stay at the hot corner. Even if he has to move, his bat will profile in another corner.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #4 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #24 prospect in 2022

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 70/High
  
  Track Record: As a rising high school senior, Walker was viewed as one of the best power hitters in the 2020 prep class, but he struggled with swing-and-miss on the summer showcase circuit. He rectified the issue and showed improved bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline for Decatur (Ga.) High prior to the 2020 coronavirus shutdown. The Cardinals selected Walker with the 21st overall pick that June and signed him for $2.9 million. Walker debuted with Low-A Palm Beach in 2021 and moved quickly to High-A Peoria after he put up a 1.162 OPS in 27 games. He spent 55 games in the Midwest League and hit .292/.344/.487 as one of the youngest players at the level. In 2022, Walker moved to Double-A Springfield, where he was the youngest position player at the classification to start the season. Walker responded with another standout campaign and hit .306/.388/.510 with 31 doubles and 19 home runs. Late in the season, the Cardinals moved Walker from third base to right field, where he projects to settle.
  
  Scouting Report: Walker has a tall, well-conditioned frame that projects strength and athleticism. He balances both power and contact at the plate. His longer levers lead to swing-and-miss, but he balances it with a simple, powerful swing and good tracking skills. Despite a longer swing path, Walker shows the ability to hit a variety of pitch shapes and locations. His best contact comes on the outer half of the plate, where he can extend his arms and drive balls to all fields. He's an aggressive hitter who likes to swing. While this approach can often lead to strikeouts, Walker's innate bat-to-ball skills and strength allow him to overcome his aggressive tendencies. The length of his levers and bat path help him cover the whole plate, while also allowing him to barrel pitches in the outside shadow zone. Walker's double-plus raw power flashes in games and is backed by standout exit velocity numbers. During the 2022 season, 45% of Walker's balls in play were hit at 95 mph or harder, and his 114.6 mph max exit velocity was in the 99th percentile among players 21 years or younger. Walker is an above-average runner and capable basestealer who has had a high success rate on stolen base attempts in the minor leagues. His speed comes from long, powerful strides that allow him to run the bases and roam the outfield at an above-average rate. In this way, Walker is equipped for his move to the outfield. He possesses a plus arm capable of making all the throws from a corner-outfield position. He profiles best in right field, but has seen some time in center field as well.
  
  The Future: Few players flash upside as immense as Walker's. He should see a majority of his time in 2022 in the major leagues. Equipped with plus power and average or better plate skills, Walker could develop into a perennial all-star.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 70. Run: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 70/High
  
  Track Record: As a rising high school senior, Walker was viewed as one of the best power hitters in the 2020 prep class, but he struggled with swing-and-miss on the summer showcase circuit. He rectified the issue and showed improved bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline for Decatur (Ga.) High prior to the 2020 coronavirus shutdown. The Cardinals selected Walker with the 21st overall pick that June and signed him for $2.9 million. Walker debuted with Low-A Palm Beach in 2021 and moved quickly to High-A Peoria after he put up a 1.162 OPS in 27 games. He spent 55 games in the Midwest League and hit .292/.344/.487 as one of the youngest players at the level. In 2022, Walker moved to Double-A Springfield, where he was the youngest position player at the classification to start the season. Walker responded with another standout campaign and hit .306/.388/.510 with 31 doubles and 19 home runs. Late in the season, the Cardinals moved Walker from third base to right field, where he projects to settle.
  
  Scouting Report: Walker has a tall, well-conditioned frame that projects strength and athleticism. He balances both power and contact at the plate. His longer levers lead to swing-and-miss, but he balances it with a simple, powerful swing and good tracking skills. Despite a longer swing path, Walker shows the ability to hit a variety of pitch shapes and locations. His best contact comes on the outer half of the plate, where he can extend his arms and drive balls to all fields. He's an aggressive hitter who likes to swing. While this approach can often lead to strikeouts, Walker's innate bat-to-ball skills and strength allow him to overcome his aggressive tendencies. The length of his levers and bat path help him cover the whole plate, while also allowing him to barrel pitches in the outside shadow zone. Walker's double-plus raw power flashes in games and is backed by standout exit velocity numbers. During the 2022 season, 45% of Walker's balls in play were hit at 95 mph or harder, and his 114.6 mph max exit velocity was in the 99th percentile among players 21 years or younger. Walker is an above-average runner and capable basestealer who has had a high success rate on stolen base attempts in the minor leagues. His speed comes from long, powerful strides that allow him to run the bases and roam the outfield at an above-average rate. In this way, Walker is equipped for his move to the outfield. He possesses a plus arm capable of making all the throws from a corner-outfield position. He profiles best in right field, but has seen some time in center field as well.
  
  The Future: Few players flash upside as immense as Walker's. He should see a majority of his time in 2022 in the major leagues. Equipped with plus power and average or better plate skills, Walker could develop into a perennial all-star.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 70. Run: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 60/High
  
  Track Record: Walker used an impressive start to the 2020 spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season to vault himself forward on draft boards, resulting with a selection by the Cardinals with the 21st pick in the draft. He signed for a below-slot deal of $2.9 million to forego a commitment to Duke. He then had one of the best pro debuts of any 2020 draftee, hitting his way out of Low-A Palm Beach in 2021 after 27 games and ranking as the No. 2 prospect in Low-A Southeast. He continued to hit well at High-A Peoria, where he ranked as the No. 3 prospect in High-A Central. He stood out for his combination of power and feel for hitting, thus solidifying himself as the top prospect in the organization. Walker finished the season hitting .317/.388/.548 between the Class A levels with 14 home runs, 25 doubles and 14 stolen bases in 82 games, earning the organization&#39s minor league player of the year honors while shooting onto the Top 100 Prospects ranking.
  
  Scouting Report: Walker has an imposing 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame and rare strength for a teenager, crushing a ball at 116 mph off the bat in his first month as a professional. He&#39s got a good feel for hitting and an advanced approach for the game, impressing the organization with the way he made adjustments on the fly. The length to Walker&#39s swing produces some swing-and-miss issues, but he does a good job of catching up to velocity and has good knowledge of the strike zone. Walker hits the ball to all fields and should project for at least an average hit tool in the future to go along with plus-plus power as he matures. He posted a 15% walk rate and 17% strikeout rate at Low-A, but struggled to a 6% walk rate and 27% strikeout rate against more advanced pitchers at High-A, which is common for a young hitter facing more advanced arms. Some scouts believe he&#39ll continue to have trouble with spin due to his aggressiveness as a hitter. However, Walker does a good job of making adjustments on the fly and rarely makes the same mistake twice. Walker is a good athlete, runs well for his size and worked hard to improve at third base. He has good footwork and above-average arm strength, but he will need to improve his instincts and reactions to stick at the hot corner. Opposing scouts are split on whether he will fit at third base, with some believing he&#39ll end up at first base or right field, where his arm and offensive ability will profile well. Walker has an excellent work ethic, which should help give him a chance to stick at third base moving forward.
  
  The Future: Walker&#39s combination of tools and performance fit the profile of a future middle-of-the-order masher who could one day hit 35 home runs in a season. After the way he performed at the Class A levels in 2021, he looks ready for an assignment to Double-A, and it&#39s not out of the question that he could make it to Triple-A by the end of the 2022 season, setting himself up for a 2023 major league debut.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 70. Speed: 45. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Walker used an impressive start to the 2020 spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season to vault himself forward on draft boards, resulting with a selection by the Cardinals with the 21st pick in the draft. He signed for a below-slot deal of $2.9 million to forego a commitment to Duke. He then had one of the best pro debuts of any 2020 draftee, hitting his way out of Low-A Palm Beach in 2021 after 27 games and ranking as the No. 2 prospect in Low-A Southeast. He continued to hit well at High-A Peoria, where he ranked as the No. 3 prospect in High-A Central. He stood out for his combination of power and feel for hitting, thus solidifying himself as the top prospect in the organization. Walker finished the season hitting .317/.388/.548 between the Class A levels with 14 home runs, 25 doubles and 14 stolen bases in 82 games, earning the organization’s minor league player of the year honors while shooting onto the Top 100 Prospects ranking.
  
  Scouting Report: Walker has an imposing 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame and rare strength for a teenager, crushing a ball at 116 mph off the bat in his first month as a professional. He’s got a good feel for hitting and an advanced approach for the game, impressing the organization with the way he made adjustments on the fly. The length to Walker’s swing produces some swing-and-miss issues, but he does a good job of catching up to velocity and has good knowledge of the strike zone. Walker hits the ball to all fields and should project for at least an average hit tool in the future to go along with plus-plus power as he matures. He posted a 15% walk rate and 17% strikeout rate at Low-A, but struggled to a 6% walk rate and 27% strikeout rate against more advanced pitchers at High-A, which is common for a young hitter facing more advanced arms. Some scouts believe he’ll continue to have trouble with spin due to his aggressiveness as a hitter. However, Walker does a good job of making adjustments on the fly and rarely makes the same mistake twice. Walker is a good athlete, runs well for his size and worked hard to improve at third base. He has good footwork and above-average arm strength, but he will need to improve his instincts and reactions to stick at the hot corner. Opposing scouts are split on whether he will fit at third base, with some believing he’ll end up at first base or right field, where his arm and offensive ability will profile well. Walker has an excellent work ethic, which should help give him a chance to stick at third base moving forward.
  
  The Future: Walker’s combination of tools and performance fit the profile of a future middle-of-the-order masher who could one day hit 35 home runs in a season. After the way he performed at the Class A levels in 2021, he looks ready for an assignment to Double-A, and it’s not out of the question that he could make it to Triple-A by the end of the 2022 season, setting himself up for a 2023 major league debut.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Walker was undoubtedly an excellent draft prospect, but his early success caught evaluators off guard because of the sheer violence he inflicted on baseballs. He left the league with average and maximum exit velocities of 93.2 and 116.2 mph, with the latter being the hardest-hit ball all year on the circuit. “It’s stupid power,” one league manager said. “For a 19-year-old kid, the man strength he has is rare.” Evaluators were also impressed with the way Walker quickly adjusted at the plate. Specifically, if he got beat by a pitch in one at-bat, he wasn’t likely to let the same pitch beat him a second time. While Walker’s offensive potential is unquestioned, some doubt he will stick at third base. He’s already a big-bodied player and is still growing, and league managers noted that his footwork and reaction time will have to improve to stay at the hot corner. Even if he has to move, his bat will profile in another corner.
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  “Big power” is just one of the many accolades applied to Walker, the 21st overall pick in 2020. The 19-year-old required just 27 games at Low-A Palm Beach before joining High-A in late June. It’s rare for a high school draftee to spend most of his full-season debut in High-A, but it didn’t seem to faze Walker. He hit 317/.388/.548 with 14 homers in 82 games between the two Class A levels. “He’s impressive,” a scout said. “Big power, with feel for hitting, though he’ll have his struggles versus same-side spin due to over-aggressiveness and longer limbs.” While Walker’s strikeout rate spiked from 17% to 26% after the promotion to High-A, that didn’t concern scouts. His defense is more of an issue. “I’m not sold on his third base defense,” a scout said. “(I think) he likely moves to right field at some point.”
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Walker was one of the few high school prospects who got to play meaningful games in the spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down. He took advantage with a red-hot start to solidify himself as one of the top hitters and sluggers in the 2020 draft class. The Cardinals drafted him No. 21 overall and signed him for $2.9 million to forgo a Duke commitment. Walker was the last player signed by Cardinals area scout Charles Peterson, who died from Covid-19 three months later.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Walker has the long arms and a big frame befitting a power hitter. While he has some unavoidable length to his swing, he has shown a feel for hitting and can catch up to top velocity. He has a shot to be a fringe-average or even average hitter to go with his plus raw power, which will likely tick up to plus-plus as he continues to grow. Walker moves remarkably well for a big man and has an above-average arm at third base. His excellent work ethic gives him a shot to stick there, but he may have to move to first base depending on how much bigger he gets.
  
  THE FUTURE: Walker has a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order masher. He's still a teenager yet to make his pro debut and is many years away.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Walker was one of the few high school prospects who got to play meaningful games in the spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down. He took advantage with a red-hot start to solidify himself as one of the top hitters and sluggers in the 2020 draft class. The Cardinals drafted him No. 21 overall and signed him for $2.9 million to forgo a Duke commitment. Walker was the last player signed by Cardinals area scout Charles Peterson, who died from Covid-19 three months later.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Walker has the long arms and a big frame befitting a power hitter. While he has some unavoidable length to his swing, he has shown a feel for hitting and can catch up to top velocity. He has a shot to be a fringe-average or even average hitter to go with his plus raw power, which will likely tick up to plus-plus as he continues to grow. Walker moves remarkably well for a big man and has an above-average arm at third base. His excellent work ethic gives him a shot to stick there, but he may have to move to first base depending on how much bigger he gets.
  
  THE FUTURE: Walker has a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order masher. He’s still a teenager yet to make his pro debut and is many years away.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Walker was one of the few high school prospects who got to play meaningful games in the spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down. He took advantage with a red-hot start to solidify himself as one of the top hitters and sluggers in the 2020 draft class. The Cardinals drafted him No. 21 overall and signed him for $2.9 million to forgo a Duke commitment. Walker was the last player signed by Cardinals area scout Charles Peterson, who died from Covid-19 three months later.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Walker has the long arms and a big frame befitting a power hitter. While he has some unavoidable length to his swing, he has shown a feel for hitting and can catch up to top velocity. He has a shot to be a fringe-average or even average hitter to go with his plus raw power, which will likely tick up to plus-plus as he continues to grow. Walker moves remarkably well for a big man and has an above-average arm at third base. His excellent work ethic gives him a shot to stick there, but he may have to move to first base depending on how much bigger he gets.
  
  THE FUTURE: Walker has a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order masher. He’s still a teenager yet to make his pro debut and is many years away.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  The best high school third baseman in the class, Walker is a massive-framed, 6-foot-5, 220-pound slugger committed to Duke. He’s also the top-ranked prep prospect out of Georgia, which has been more pitcher-heavy than bat-heavy in recent years. Walker was one of the high school players who managed to get seen early and often during the shortened 2020 season. He performed at a high level against solid competition while all those eyes were on him. Walker has a solid feel to hit with plus raw power and plenty more projected as he grows into more strength. While there are some questions about his natural feel to hit thanks to the length of his arms and some swing-and-miss concerns, Walker has progressed in the right direction and could be an average or slightly better hitter. He moves remarkably well considering his size, though many scouts still think he will move to first base or a corner outfield spot in the future. Walker was something of a polarizing player last summer because of questions about his profile, but he performed at the right time this spring and could go off the board at the end of the first round or shortly thereafter. Scouts praise Walker’s heady, cerebral nature and believe he could be a tough sign away from Duke, where he could elevate his draft stock with a few years of ACC performance.
• December, 2019 Scouting Report
  The best high school third baseman in the class, Walker is a massive-framed, 6-foot-5, 220-pound slugger committed to Duke. He’s also the top-ranked prep prospect out of Georgia, which has been more pitcher-heavy than bat-heavy in recent years. Walker was one of the high school players who managed to get seen early and often during the shortened 2020 season. He performed at a high level against solid competition while all those eyes were on him. Walker has a solid feel to hit with plus raw power and plenty more projected as he grows into more strength. While there are some questions about his natural feel to hit thanks to the length of his arms and some swing-and-miss concerns, Walker has progressed in the right direction and could be an average or slightly better hitter. He moves remarkably well considering his size, though many scouts still think he will move to first base or a corner outfield spot in the future. Walker was something of a polarizing player last summer because of questions about his profile, but he performed at the right time this spring and could go off the board at the end of the first round or shortly thereafter. Scouts praise Walker’s heady, cerebral nature and believe he could be a tough sign away from Duke, where he could elevate his draft stock with a few years of ACC performance.