The Minnesota Twins went away from pitching for the first time since the second overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft with 97th overall pick. They went with someone they probably watched in high school, too, as Wisconsin native Adam Walker heard his name called with the Twins first pick in the third round.
Walker, a 21-year-old junior from Jacksonville University, was announced as a right fielder. That surprised the folks on the draft telecast with good reason, too, considering he's been more of a first baseman thus far in his career. Either way, it's likely the Twins drafted him for his bat rather than his fielding if MLB.com's scouting report is any indication.
The son of a former NFL running back, Walker looks the part of a future slugger. The question is if he has the baseball skills to get there. There's no question about his pop at the plate. He might have as much raw power as anyone in the Draft class, with some scouts giving him an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He also has a very good approach to hitting, though his hitting instincts lag behind. That leaves some wondering if he'll learn to tap into that power consistently enough against advanced pitching.
A big, physical specimen, Walker has played both first base and the outfield. His arm is well below average, and while some think he could handle playing left field, his defensive home is up in the air. He draws comparisons to Giancarlo Stanton, both in body type and power potential, but there is some concern that he's a Ferrari with a VW engine.
Lord knows the Twins need bats, but hopefully Walker's fielding improves as he moves his way through the minors.
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