Andrew Walker Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Andrew L. Walker
Born 01/22/1986 in Fort Worth, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 212 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas Christian
Drafted in the 5th round (158th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007 (signed for $147,600).

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Andrew Walker was one of the best all-around catchers last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he also won the 10th player award for his combination of performance and intangibles. He has remained consistent with the bat in 2007, setting a career high with a .329 average and tying another with 11 homers, but his throwing and blocking skills have regressed. As a result, he'll probably go between the seventh and 10th rounds.

Top Rankings

Walker had a fine career at Texas Christian, earning Freshman All-America honors in 2005 and all- Conference USA accolades in his last two seasons. After setting career highs with a .328 average and 12 homers last spring, he signed for $147,600 as a fifth-round pick. Walker has good power potential, especially for a catcher, and the ability to hit for a decent average. He gets high marks for his knowledge of the game and take-charge attitude behind the plate, and he won the 10th Man Award in the Cape Cod League in 2006 for his blend of talent and intangibles. Walker's receiving and throwing skills went backward in his final college season, but he appeared to get back on track by the end of his first pro season. However, he threw out just 25 percent of basestealers in pro debut. Walker will start the season in low Class A but has a clear shot to the major leagues by 2010 as the Pirates have no prime catching prospects ahead of him after converting Neil Walker (no relation) to a third baseman last season.