Matthew Walker Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

IP	247
ERA	4.664
WHIP	1.648
BB/9	6.34
SO/9	7.178

Full name Matthew Gregory Walker
Born 08/16/1986 in Baton Rouge, LA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Central
Drafted in the 10th round (285th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2004 (signed for $600,000).

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Before this spring, Walker was better known as a quarterback who drew interest from NCAA Division I-A programs. Then he came out throwing 92-94 mph with a hard 77-80 mph curveball, and scouts flocked to see him. Walker tired later in the season, pitching at 86-90 mph with a lesser curve when crosscheckers came in, and has gone from being a possible supplemental first-rounder to more of a third- or fourth-round choice. The raw potential is clearly there, however, and it's in an athletic 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame. On the season, he went 11-1, 1.56 with 148 strikeouts in 78 innings. Walker is expected to sign rather than attend Southeastern Louisiana.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

The 2007 season was one to forget for Walker. His best friend was killed in a house fire, and he had difficulty finding the strike zone all season. He spent the first half in the rotation at high Class A and went 2-6, 5.97 before moving to the bullpen. He had a little more success in relief, yet he still finished the season ranked fourth in the minors with 82 walks. Fortunately for Walker, the light seemed to come back on during instructional league. He has one of the best breaking balls in the organization, a 12-to-6 overhand curveball. His heavy low-90s fastball is also a plus pitch with its impressive sinking action. After his changeup showed the potential to be an above-average offering in the past, he started to establish it earlier in games last year. Command has always been the biggest issue for Walker, and he bottomed out in that regard last year. His mechanics were out of sync, and he'd fly open after rushing with his lower half, causing his arm to drag. Walker also learned that he can't overpower more advanced hitters, particularly if he abandons his secondary offerings. Unless his overall repertoire develops, he's likely to remain in the bullpen and could become a setup man. If he shows better command in spring training, Walker could open the 2008 season in Double-A.
As they do with most of their high school pitching prospects, the Devil Rays kept Walker in extended spring training to begin his first full pro season. Once he got to low Class A, he gave up two earned runs or less in 13 of his 15 starts. A highly regarded prep quarterback, he signed for second- round money ($600,000) as a 10th-round pick in 2004. Walker's overhand 12-to-6 curveball rated as the best breaking ball in the MWL and is the best in the Rays system. His fastball has increased in velocity since he signed and also features heavy sink. He sits at 92-94 mph and touches 96 with the ability to maintain his velocity throughout games. His changeup can become a plus pitch with good depth and fade. Scouts love the consistency and ease of his arm action, which creates impressive deception. Walker is working on refining his control and command. He tries to overpower hitters on occasion instead of using his secondary pitches. He also needs to improve his mechanics in order to repeat his delivery more consistently. Scouts are mixed on whether Walker will be a solid mid-rotation or a power reliever, but the Rays will continue to develop him in the rotation for now. He'll move up to high Class A in 2007.
Walker seemed to have more potential as a quarterback entering his senior season of high school. His baseball stock surged in the spring of 2004, but he tailed off late and dropped to the 10th round. Still, the Devil Rays coughed up $600,000 to sign him. He made his pro debut in 2005 and while his numbers weren't pretty, Rookie-level Appalachian League observers were impressed. Walker is a power pitcher who has added 15 pounds since signing. His fastball ranges from 89-96 mph with good life. His overhand power curveball has a sharp break and is the best in the system. He's mentally tough and battles on the mound. He has a ways to go to become a true pitcher. Walker is ironing out his mechanics. He overthrows at times, trying to overpower hitters instead of using his head to get the out. A more consistent changeup and added maturity will take him a long way. Yet another high-ceiling pitcher, Walker will pitch in low Class A this year at 19. While the Devil Rays are grooming him as a starter, he also profiles well as a reliever.
Entering last spring, Walker's future appeared to be in football. A quarterback, he drew interest from NCAA Division I-A programs. But when he started throwing 92-94 mph and flashed a plus curveball, his destiny became baseball. By the time crosscheckers came in to see him, Walker was tired and his stuff was down, ending any possibility that he might go in the first round. In fact, he fell all the way to the 10th but Walker signed at the end of the summer for $600,000, easily the highest bonus in his round and the equivalent of mid-second- round money. He's extremely athletic and projectable, and there's no reason he shouldn't regain his low-90s fastball and it's possible he could add more velocity. At its best, his curve is a hard breaker that arrives at 77-80 mph. He's still raw, and his command and his changeup will need work. He could start on the same path as Jonathan Barratt, waiting to make his pro debut until June.

Minor League Top Prospects

A college football prospect as a quarterback, Walker is more raw than McGee and Davis. He began the year in extended spring training and didn't join them in Southwest Michigan until mid-June. Once he arrived, he unveiled the MWL's best curveball and allowed more than two earned runs just twice in 15 starts. Walker will overthrow at times but is starting to realize that he can overpower hitters with his normal stuff. His curve, which one scout called the best in the league, has true 12-to-6 break, and hitters can't look for it too much because he can bust them with a 92-94 mph fastball. His changeup should give him at least a usable third pitch.
An NCAA Division I-A quarterback prospect before he turned pro, Walker signed too late to pitch in 2004 and thus made his pro debut this summer. He showed the potential for two plus pitches, missing bats with a 92-94 mph fastball and a 12-6 curveball that could become his best offering. Like most young pitchers, Walker was accustomed to blowing away high school hitters, so his changeup lagged behind his other pitches. The more disciplined hitters in the Appy League were able to lay off his offspeed stuff out of the zone. "Walker's biggest problem has been command," Nelson said. "His curve is hard to control at times, but when he gets the ball down in the zone and when he's throwing it for strikes, he's tough to hit."