Sebastian Walcott: The Future of the Texas Rangers

FRISCO — The late-spring North Texas weather reminds Sebastian Walcott of his native country’s climate. Everything else reminds the Bahamian teenager just how far from it he’s come and how close his next home is.

Like, for example, he now plays in front of Texas Rangers fans for the first time in his professional career after stops in the Dominican Republic, Arizona and North Carolina. At Riders Field, where he’s brandished on the field’s video board as the farm system’s crown jewel, Walcott is the main attraction.

Playing in Front of Texas Rangers Fans

“We’re 30 minutes away from the ballpark,” Walcott told The Dallas Morning News last Wednesday. “A lot of fans can come see the future of the Rangers play.”

Himself squarely included. Walcott, 19, is the organization’s consensus top prospect and one of baseball’s best. The 6-foot-4 shortstop is No. 4 on ESPN’s top prospects list, No. 6 on Baseball America’s and No. 8 on MLB Pipeline’s after two months of extended development at Double-A Frisco have proven that he can more than hack it against advanced competition.

Development and Progress

“He’s a great player,” RoughRiders manager Carlos Cardoza said, “and he has all the ingredients to be great at the highest level.”

Walcott’s raw tools have been overwhelmingly apparent since the Rangers signed him to a $3.5 million bonus two years ago and allowed him to speed through the minor league’s lower levels with hardly anything more severe than occasional growing pains.

The refinement of those talents, though, is necessary to handle the more-advanced arms that he will need to familiarize himself with and conquer in the minor league’s upper levels. The caliber of the average pitcher’s “stuff” in Double-A more closely resembles what he’d see in the major leagues, and Walcott’s propensity to handle that better cut of pitchers will in part dictate his immediate future.

Performance in Double-A Frisco

In Frisco, where he is the Texas League’s second-youngest player and one of just four teens to play at the Double-A level this season, Walcott has begun to mesh ability with stability against bigger and better arms. He’s first leaguewide in runs scored (41), first in doubles (15), tied for 11th in home runs (8) and owns a .248/.349/.437 slash line that’s made him one of Frisco’s best statistical batters.

RoughRiders hitting coach Ryan Tuntland credits the production to “the maturation of the at-bats” and Walcott’s own ability to make himself a tough out. His ability to navigate a plate appearance, identify pitches, lay off the errant ones and jump on the favorable ones have led to a career low in strikeout rate (21.2%), career-high in walk rate (12.4%) and a consistent spike in power.

Improvement and Growth

“I think it’s become a lot clearer where he’s looking at the plate,” Tuntland said, “and I think that helps him kind of land on some pitches more often and kind of get into the power because he’s more accurate.”

Walcott, who Baseball America considers the organization’s best power hitter and who ESPN classified as someone with 40 home run potential, said he’s most proud of his ability to “put up good [at-bats] even if it doesn’t result in a hit or something successful that I want.” That, in turn, has helped him carve a path to create those desired results.

“I think when I stay within my swing and simplify everything, I think that’s when my power starts to come,” Walcott said. “I think my mindset now is to just have a simple approach.”

Future Prospects

It’s led to advanced results. Walcott’s six home runs in May were the most he’d hit in any singular month as a professional and his seven doubles were tied for the second-most. He slugged .505 in May; outfielder Wyatt Langford, for reference, leads all Rangers hitters with a .425 slugging percentage this season.

That’s despite a decrease in hittable pitches, so to say, and more off-speed pitches away that are designed to make Walcott chase. Last Wednesday, vs. the Springfield Cardinals, fastballs were reserved for Walcott’s teammates while he was mostly thrown sliders and changeups. It resulted in an 0 for 3 line with a full-count walk in which Walcott didn’t chase pitches low and away and a hard-hit lineout in which he waited for a pitch in his desired zone to swing at.

“Over the long haul,” Tuntland said, “that’s going to add up and pay off.”

Walcott, the Rangers believe, will be around for the long haul.

His first two full months of Double-A baseball have confirmed as much.

“The career currency for any hitter is the quality of the pitches you swing at,” Cardoza said. “That’s something we talk about a lot — swing decisions — and quality contact. I think those two go hand-in-hand and it’s only going to get better with the more pitching he sees and the more higher level he sees.”

Conclusion

Sebastian Walcott is a talented young player with a bright future ahead of him. With his impressive performance in Double-A Frisco and his ability to handle advanced competition, he is sure to be a key player for the Texas Rangers in the years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Sebastian Walcott?

Sebastian Walcott is a 19-year-old shortstop who plays for the Texas Rangers organization. He is currently playing for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and is considered one of the top prospects in baseball.

What are Walcott’s strengths as a player?

Walcott’s strengths as a player include his ability to hit for power and average, as well as his strong defensive skills at shortstop. He has also shown the ability to handle advanced competition and make adjustments at the plate.

What is Walcott’s potential in the major leagues?

Walcott has the potential to be a star player in the major leagues. He has been ranked as one of the top prospects in baseball by several publications, including ESPN and Baseball America, and has the tools to be a successful hitter and defender at the major league level.

How has Walcott performed in Double-A Frisco?

Walcott has performed well in Double-A Frisco, hitting .248 with 8 home runs and 15 doubles in his first two months of the season. He has also shown the ability to handle advanced competition and make adjustments at the plate.

What is next for Walcott?

Walcott will likely continue to play for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders for the remainder of the season. Depending on his performance, he could be considered for a promotion to the major leagues at some point in the future.