Larry Walker

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #3 prospect in 1990
  Walker battled back after missing all of 1988 with a serious knee injury. He showed flashes of major league form after being called up. Walker has what farm director Dan Duquette calls “raw power skills,” and will steal bases with abandon, bad knee and all. He had some difficulty with inside fastballs against major league lefties, but considering his rehabilitation, the Expos were happy.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #5 prospect in 1988
  Walker suffered torn ligaments in his right knee during the winter season in Mexico and will miss the 1988 season. The damage was severe, but doctors are optimistic that he will recover completely. Walker is the best Canadian-born prospect in Expos history. He has a flawless lefthanded swing, generates above-average power (53 homers the past two seasons), runs well and was adapting quickly to the outfield. The Expos shifted him from third base to left field last season and planned to play him in center at Triple-A this year. Walker still gives away too many at-bats (264 strikeouts the past two seasons), but scouts say his concentration tightens with runners on base.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #9 prospect in 1987
  A former hockey player from Maple Ridge, B.C., Walker was the rage of the system last season. He hit .288-33-90 with 18 steals at low Class A Burlington and high Class A West Palm Beach. Walker also struck out 144 times, but scouts say he has a textbook swing and makes good contact when he doesn’t try to hit the ball 500 feet. And he’s not helpless against breaking balls and lefthanded pitchers, even though he has played just one and a half seasons. The next step is finding Walker a position. After trials at first base and third, he has been moved to left field.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked National League #3 prospect in 1989
  Walker came back strong from a knee injury that cause him to miss the entire 1988 season. In 114 games for Indianapolis, the Expos’ Great Canadian Hope (he’s from Maple Ridge, B.C.) hit .270-13-59. Despite wearing a knee brace, he stole 36 bases. “The sky’s the limit for this kid,” Indianapolis manager Tom Runnells said. “He has outstanding defensive skills and a better than-average arm.” “He has a lot of power and a good home run stroke. The more he works on hitting, he’ll hit for a higher average because he has speed.”
• 
  Ranked Southern League #3 prospect in 1987
  Walker is a lefthanded hitter who can hit for average and power. He batted .289 for Jacksonville with 58 extra-base hits (25 doubles, seven triples, 26 home runs) and 83 RBIs. He needs to cut down on strikeouts--he had 120 in 474 at-bats. He’s solid defensively. “Natural hitter with power potential,” Charlotte manager Greg Biagini said. “Above-average speed . . . good all-around player.” Chattanooga manager Sal Rende said: “Smooth swing . . . can do all five things well . . . must improve temperament.” Walker’s just 20, so he might need a season at Triple-A before going up to Montreal to stay.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #2 prospect in 1986
  The Expos are drooling over this Canadian-born power hitter. Signed as a raw talent out of Maple Ridge, B.C., last summer, Walker hit just .223 with two homers at short-season Utica (New York-Penn) in his pro debut. Somehow, over the winter, Walker became a monster. The 19-year-old batted .290 in 95 games at Burlington, mashing 29 homers (the league’s top figure when he was promoted) and driving in 74 runs. That forced the Expos to move Walker to high Class A West Palm Beach (Florida State), where he hit .283 with four more homers in 38 games. Though some say Walker needs to make more contact--112 strikeouts in 331 at-bats--the biggest knock against Walker is that he lacks a position. He was tried at third base, then shifted to left field. That should become his home. "He has major league power,” Springfield manager Gaylen Pitts said. “Anyone who can hit like that, you find him a place to play.” One manager predicted Walker would hit 30 homers a year in the big leagues.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #42 prospect in 1990

• December, 1989 Scouting Report
  Walker battled back after missing all of 1988 with a serious knee injury. He showed flashes of major league form after being called up. Walker has what farm director Dan Duquette calls “raw power skills,” and will steal bases with abandon, bad knee and all. He had some difficulty with inside fastballs against major league lefties, but considering his rehabilitation, the Expos were happy.
• December, 1988 Scouting Report
  Walker came back strong from a knee injury that cause him to miss the entire 1988 season. In 114 games for Indianapolis, the Expos’ Great Canadian Hope (he’s from Maple Ridge, B.C.) hit .270-13-59. Despite wearing a knee brace, he stole 36 bases. “The sky’s the limit for this kid,” Indianapolis manager Tom Runnells said. “He has outstanding defensive skills and a better than-average arm.” “He has a lot of power and a good home run stroke. The more he works on hitting, he’ll hit for a higher average because he has speed.”
• December, 1987 Scouting Report
  Walker suffered torn ligaments in his right knee during the winter season in Mexico and will miss the 1988 season. The damage was severe, but doctors are optimistic that he will recover completely. Walker is the best Canadian-born prospect in Expos history. He has a flawless lefthanded swing, generates above-average power (53 homers the past two seasons), runs well and was adapting quickly to the outfield. The Expos shifted him from third base to left field last season and planned to play him in center at Triple-A this year. Walker still gives away too many at-bats (264 strikeouts the past two seasons), but scouts say his concentration tightens with runners on base.
• December, 1986 Scouting Report
  A former hockey player from Maple Ridge, B.C., Walker was the rage of the system last season. He hit .288-33-90 with 18 steals at low Class A Burlington and high Class A West Palm Beach. Walker also struck out 144 times, but scouts say he has a textbook swing and makes good contact when he doesn’t try to hit the ball 500 feet. And he’s not helpless against breaking balls and lefthanded pitchers, even though he has played just one and a half seasons. The next step is finding Walker a position. After trials at first base and third, he has been moved to left field.
• December, 1986 Scouting Report
  Walker is a lefthanded hitter who can hit for average and power. He batted .289 for Jacksonville with 58 extra-base hits (25 doubles, seven triples, 26 home runs) and 83 RBIs. He needs to cut down on strikeouts--he had 120 in 474 at-bats. He’s solid defensively. “Natural hitter with power potential,” Charlotte manager Greg Biagini said. “Above-average speed . . . good all-around player.” Chattanooga manager Sal Rende said: “Smooth swing . . . can do all five things well . . . must improve temperament.” Walker’s just 20, so he might need a season at Triple-A before going up to Montreal to stay.
• December, 1985 Scouting Report
  The Expos are drooling over this Canadian-born power hitter. Signed as a raw talent out of Maple Ridge, B.C., last summer, Walker hit just .223 with two homers at short-season Utica (New York-Penn) in his pro debut. Somehow, over the winter, Walker became a monster. The 19-year-old batted .290 in 95 games at Burlington, mashing 29 homers (the league’s top figure when he was promoted) and driving in 74 runs. That forced the Expos to move Walker to high Class A West Palm Beach (Florida State), where he hit .283 with four more homers in 38 games. Though some say Walker needs to make more contact--112 strikeouts in 331 at-bats--the biggest knock against Walker is that he lacks a position. He was tried at third base, then shifted to left field. That should become his home. "He has major league power,” Springfield manager Gaylen Pitts said. “Anyone who can hit like that, you find him a place to play.” One manager predicted Walker would hit 30 homers a year in the big leagues.