Andrew Walters Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1.1
ERA	13.50
WHIP	1.500
BB/9	0.0
SO/9	13.5

Full name Andrew Wayne Walters
Born 12/08/2000 in Palm Bay, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Miami
Drafted in the CB-B round (62nd overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2023 (signed for $955,275).

View Draft Report

School: Miami Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Orioles ’22 (18)
Age At Draft: 22.6
BA Grade:45/Extreme
Tools:Fastball: 70. Slider: 45. Changeup: 40. Control: 50.

Walters has been a lockdown reliever for Miami after transferring into the program by way of Eastern Florida State JC. He has never posted an ERA in a single season over 1.65 and from 2021 to 2023 in 102 innings, he has posted a 1.41 ERA with a 43.7% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate. He’s been one of the best relievers in college baseball for the last three seasons. He mostly dominates hitters with a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and has been up to 99-100 mph at peak velocity. The pitch has exceptional ride and carry and he also throws from a lower release point despite a 6-foot-4, 222-pound frame. It’s a double-plus pitch that he used at a 78% rate and generated whiffs 36% of the time. Walters also throws a mid-80s slider with a bit of sweeping action at times and has occasionally shown a firm, upper-80s changeup with arm-side fading life. After being drafted in the 18th round by the Orioles in 2022, Walters is now on the older side for college players in the class, but he fits as a priority senior sign type among the top five rounds with one of the best fastballs in the class.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Walters signed as a second-rounder for $955,275 in 2023 after a dominant career as a reliever with Miami. He blitzed to the majors just a year later, but has only thrown 10 total big league innings after an injury-plagued 2025 season. Walters dealt with right shoulder stiffness and left a May 31 game with a lat injury that required season-ending surgery.

Scouting Report: Walters is a classic reliever profile with a loud fastball/slider combo and a large 6-foot-4, 222-pound frame. The fastball has long been his calling card and remains a double-plus offering with a slew of traits that make it difficult to connect with or barrel. He sits around 96-97 mph and will push the pitch up to 100 with excellent carry from a below-average release height and a tremendously flat approach angle. The pitch dominates the strike zone and is a consistent swing-and-miss weapon and chase pitch above the zone. Since getting into pro ball, Walters has added more power to his slider, which is now an 85-89 mph breaking ball with tight movement and plus potential. It’s also a plus pitch, but he does need to tighten up the command and consistency. In the past Walters has thrown a changeup, but he’s mostly a two-pitch pitcher these days.

The Future: Walters’ shoulder injury adds more risk to his profile, but Cleveland does expect him to be back and healthy to start the 2026 season. If that’s the case he’s a reliable, plug-and-play bullpen piece.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Control: 50
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium.

Track Record: Walters was a dominant college reliever in three seasons with Miami and signed as a supplemental second-rounder with Cleveland for $955,275 in 2023. He started at Double-A Akron in his first pro season and eventually pushed to Triple-A, the majors and made four relief appearances in the postseason. He was one of 10 players from the 2023 class to make the majors by the end of the 2024 season.

Scouting Report: Walters is a broad-shouldered righthander with a large, 6-foot-4, 222-pound frame who throws from a three-quarters slot with above-average extension. He mostly works off a fastball/slider combination and sits 95-97 mph with a fastball that touches 99-100. The fastball has been a double-plus offering for Walters dating back to his college days thanks to great riding life, a lower-than-average release height and a flat approach angle. He generated a 20.6% swinging strike rate in the minors and it looked just as effective in his brief big league stint. Walters added more power to his slider in 2024 and made an effort to throw the pitch more frequently. Previously a mid-80s fringy pitch, it’s now a mid-to-upper-80s slider that occasionally has a cutter look and earns plus evaluations. Walters has an upper-80s changeup that’s rarely used against lefties. He walked 12.3% of the batters he faced in 2024, a step back from his college control.

The Future: Walters is a ready-made big league reliever who could pitch high-leverage innings in 2025 with another organization. With Cleveland he’ll be another homegrown pen piece with a carrying fastball.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50.

Draft Prospects

School: Miami Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Orioles ’22 (18)
Age At Draft: 22.6
BA Grade:45/Extreme
Tools:Fastball: 70. Slider: 45. Changeup: 40. Control: 50.

Walters has been a lockdown reliever for Miami after transferring into the program by way of Eastern Florida State JC. He has never posted an ERA in a single season over 1.65 and from 2021 to 2023 in 102 innings, he has posted a 1.41 ERA with a 43.7% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate. He’s been one of the best relievers in college baseball for the last three seasons. He mostly dominates hitters with a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and has been up to 99-100 mph at peak velocity. The pitch has exceptional ride and carry and he also throws from a lower release point despite a 6-foot-4, 222-pound frame. It’s a double-plus pitch that he used at a 78% rate and generated whiffs 36% of the time. Walters also throws a mid-80s slider with a bit of sweeping action at times and has occasionally shown a firm, upper-80s changeup with arm-side fading life. After being drafted in the 18th round by the Orioles in 2022, Walters is now on the older side for college players in the class, but he fits as a priority senior sign type among the top five rounds with one of the best fastballs in the class.
School: Miami Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.6
BA Grade: 45/High
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: - | Slider: 50 | Changeup: - | Cutter: | Control: 50
Walters started his collegiate career at Eastern Florida State JC before heading to Miami, where he has been a shutdown reliever for the Canes for two seasons. After posting a 1.46 ERA over 24.2 innings during the 2021 season, he moved into the closing role for Miami in 2022 and finished tied for fifth in the country among Division I arms with 14 saves. He posted a 1.65 ERA over 32.2 innings, with 62 strikeouts (51.2 K%) and just six walks (5.0 BB%). Walters lives and dies with his fastball, a potentially elite pitch that sits in the 95-96 mph range, touches 100 and has exceptional ride and carry. The pitch generated whiffs 41% of the time this spring and was borderline unhittable at the top of the strike zone. It’s no wonder he used it more than 90% of the time. Walters also throws a slurvy breaking ball around 80 mph that is fringy but could become an average offering. A strong, 6-foot-4, 220-pound pitcher, Walters has back-of-the-bullpen upside with an improved breaking ball to complement an outstanding fastball.

Career Transactions

Cleveland Guardians activated RHP Andrew Walters from the 60-day injured list.
Cleveland Guardians transferred RHP Andrew Walters from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Right lat strain.
Cleveland Guardians placed RHP Andrew Walters on the 15-day injured list. Right lat strain.
Cleveland Guardians recalled RHP Andrew Walters from Columbus Clippers.
Columbus Clippers activated RHP Andrew Walters from the 7-day injured list.
RHP Andrew Walters assigned to Columbus Clippers from Akron RubberDucks.
RHP Andrew Walters assigned to Akron RubberDucks from Columbus Clippers.
Cleveland Guardians optioned RHP Andrew Walters to Columbus Clippers.
Cleveland Guardians selected the contract of RHP Andrew Walters from Columbus Clippers.
RHP Andrew Walters assigned to Columbus Clippers from Akron RubberDucks.
Cleveland Guardians signed RHP Andrew Walters.