A team that has featured a few hitters with both big home run and strikeout totals added another such player Friday afternoon.
The Orioles claimed right-handed hitter Adam Walker off waivers from Milwaukee, which on Nov. 18 had claimed him off waivers from Minnesota. After this offseason plays out, we should have a better idea how much Walker could impact the big league roster in 2017.
From 2013-2015, Walker led three minor leagues in home runs, RBIs and total bases, while also racking up big strikeout numbers. In 2013, he did that in the Single-A Midwest League, in 2014 in the Single-A Florida State League and in 2015 in the Double-A Southern League.
Last year at Triple-A Rochester, the Twins' top affiliate, the 25-year-old Walker hit .243/.305/.479 with 22 doubles, five triples, 27 homers and 75 RBIs. He was second in the International League in homers, and third in RBIs and total bases. Over the last two years, Walker has led all of minor league baseball in strikeouts with 195 in 2015 and 202 last season.
Walker was a third-round pick by the Twins in 2012 out of Jacksonville University. The 97th overall selection that year, he signed for a bonus of $490,400.
At Baseball America, they are quite familiar with Walker and have ranked him among the top 30 Twins prospects from 2013 through 2015. He ranked No. 16 after the 2013 season and No. 17 after the next two years. Walker is expected to be ranked among the O's top 30 prospects when Baseball America releases the full new list in its Prospect Handbook.
Here is a take on Walker from Baseball America editor in chief John Manuel:
"Walker has a long track record dating back to college of doing two things - hitting home runs and striking out. He led the minors in strikeouts the last two seasons. That's not encouraging, but it's 80 raw power (on the 20-80 scouting scale) and he's hit 58 home runs in Double-A and Triple-A the last two years. So I see why the O's would think him worthy of a 40-man spot. He could help the big league club in 2017 if it all comes together.
"He fits a similar profile to Chris Carter and Mark Trumbo as huge power guys who need at-bats to make adjustments and who are 30 to 40 grade (below-average) hitters. In the years where they are 30 hitters, they hit 20-25 homers. When they are 40-grade hitters and hit .240/.250, they hit 30. Walker could be that guy. He doesn't have much defensive value and he's a solid athlete but not great, and he can't throw very well anymore. The Brewers wanted him to play first base, his college position, not outfield anymore. All of his value really is in his ability to hit home runs."
When Baseball America's Michael Lananna did his website chat on the Minnesota Twins farm system, he was asked by a reader if Walker is more of a prospect or suspect.
"Somewhere in between, maybe?" Lananna wrote. "He'll be in the Prospect Handbook (as a top 30 prospect). But he's the same guy he's always been: He's either going to tear the cover off the ball, or he's going to strike out. One positive development is he did make some improvements on the defensive side this year, so he's not strictly a DH, although he's not going to be your first option in the field, either.
"I'd expect him to play in the big leagues this year, and I'd expect him to hit a few majestic home runs, but his chances of sticking in the majors long-term are shaky, given his swing-and-miss issues. We should learn shortly if he can handle big league pitching."
Could the Orioles be considering Walker as a possible left field platoon partner with Hyun Soo Kim? Or maybe as a DH? Last year at Triple-A against left-handed pitching, Walker hit .264/.333/.552 with nine homers in 125 at-bats and an OPS of .885. But two years ago at Double-A, he didn't hit as well against southpaws, batting .232/.339/.432 with four homers in 95 at-bats and an OPS of .771.
Non-tender list: A host of players around the major leagues were non-tendered Friday, including Orioles pitcher Vance Worley, and now become free agents. They are players that were arbitration-eligible, but rather than offer them arbitration, their current teams chose to non-tender them and cut them loose. Now any team can sign these players, including the team they were most recently with.
The list could include a few players that might interest the Orioles. They could take a look at outfielder Ben Revere, who from 2013-2015 hit .305, .306 and .306 before an off year last year with the Nationals. They could look at catcher Welington Castillo, who hit .264/.322/.423 in 113 games last season for Arizona. Click here to see the entire list of players non-tendered.
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