Connor Walsh
| IP | 313 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.946 |
| WHIP | 1.53 |
| BB/9 | 5.78 |
| SO/9 | 10.869 |
- Full name Connor Walsh
- Born 10/18/1992 in Berwyn, PA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Cincinnati
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Drafted in the 12th round (348th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2014.
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Walsh is a redshirt junior who missed his freshman campaign after Tommy John surgery. His performance in the rotation has been lackluster, and his two-pitch mix likely fits better out of the bullpen. At his best, Walsh sits in the low 90s, touching 94-95 mph. But his fastball can dip into the high 80s at times. He has a compact arm action and gets downhill plane from a high three-quarters arm slot. His curveball flashes above-average but he struggles to throw it for strikes. He infrequently mixes in a serviceable changeup. His control numbers have been below-average in his career, and he has effort in his delivery. He hasn't shown the ability to miss bats, with a 6.9 per nine strikeout rate in his career. The 6-foot-2, 176-pounder has an athletic build.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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After missing his freshman season at Cincinnati due to Tommy John surgery, Walsh became a part of the Bearcats' rotation the next two seasons. The White Sox have used him exclusively in relief in pro ball and he reached Triple-A Charlotte in 2017. Walsh's calling card is his premium arm strength, which allows him to pump fastballs consistently in the mid-to-upper 90s. He pairs the fastball with a mid-80s curveball that can be devastating when it's on. At its best it is a plus pitch that gets swings-and-misses. Those numbers dipped some during a stint at Triple-A toward the end of the year, and he got hammered in the Arizona Fall League. Walsh's command is well below average right now, but his raw stuff is still plenty intriguing. If he can smooth out his high-effort delivery and improve the command, he could find a spot as a big league reliever. Walsh will head back to Triple-A Charlotte in 2018. -
Walsh missed his freshman season at Cincinnati after having Tommy John surgery, but he joined the rotation the next year. In his draft year of 2014 he showed excellent stuff but just middling results with a 3.86 ERA and 5.9 strikeouts per nine innings. Walsh moved to the bullpen after the White Sox made him a 12th-round pick. He struggled to limit walks and hard contact in his first couple seasons in the system but made marked progress in 2016 at high Class A Winston-Salem. Rival evaluators note that Walsh is at his best in his first inning, and he tends to struggle when tasked with going multiple innings. He won't have to do that at the big league level. Walsh has a slingshot type of arm action, cocking his right arm as he points his left arm forward. He isn't very balanced on the mound and has a head whack at release, both barriers to command. Walsh does, however, possess elite arm strength. His fastball has reached 98 mph and routinely works at 93-96. He shown flashes of an above-average breaking ball as well. If he can improve his control, Walsh could develop into a set-up reliever.
Draft Prospects
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Walsh is a redshirt junior who missed his freshman campaign after Tommy John surgery. His performance in the rotation has been lackluster, and his two-pitch mix likely fits better out of the bullpen. At his best, Walsh sits in the low 90s, touching 94-95 mph. But his fastball can dip into the high 80s at times. He has a compact arm action and gets downhill plane from a high three-quarters arm slot. His curveball flashes above-average but he struggles to throw it for strikes. He infrequently mixes in a serviceable changeup. His control numbers have been below-average in his career, and he has effort in his delivery. He hasn't shown the ability to miss bats, with a 6.9 per nine strikeout rate in his career. The 6-foot-2, 176-pounder has an athletic build.
