Adam Brett Walker II - 2015

[BoomBoom]

Doesn't he have more Power potential than at least 2 of those guys and a better overall athlete than all 3?  

 

He was also drafted after playing 1B in college (all american).  Thus, there is some flexibility (positionally).

 

 

[lightfoot789]

Has there ever been a Twin to have led their respective minor league level 3 years in a row in HR; RBI; and TB's?  Walker is on pace to do that again after leading the Midwest League and Florida State League last year in those categories.  Long way to go in this season, but it crossed my mind as I looked at recent Southern League stats.

 

28 XBH are impressive too for only the first half of season and 15 games left.

[Shane Wahl]

Good question, lightfoot. I highly doubt it!

 

.891 OPS at Chattanooga. 15 homers, 13 doubles, and 2 triples. He might get to 110 RBI this year.

[GMinTraining]

 

Good question, lightfoot. I highly doubt it!

 

.891 OPS at Chattanooga. 15 homers, 13 doubles, and 2 triples. He might get to 110 RBI this year.

 

Walker hit HR #16 tonight and Double #14.  Plus he has reached RBI #50 with 12 more 1st half games left.

 

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=150352283&sid=t498

 

 

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=153714183&sid=t498

 

[lightfoot789]

 

Good question, lightfoot. I highly doubt it!

 

.891 OPS at Chattanooga. 15 homers, 13 doubles, and 2 triples. He might get to 110 RBI this year.

 

Heating up as we get close to Summer

(amazing half of a month - June stats only)

5 HR; 1 3B; 6 2B: 16 RBI; 25 K;

.323 BA; .358 OBP; 1.052 OPS;

BA, OBP, OPS have gone up each month in 2015

 

This season: .313 ISO; .363 BABIP; .407 wOBA; 154 wRC+;

[Shane Wahl]

Walker is putting up elite numbers now, there is no disputing it. And no getting around a solid prospect list climb and a big "simmer down" to those who have doubted his ability to mash in AA once he got there.

 

He got to AA and he has exploded.

[BoomBoom]

 

Walker is putting up elite numbers now, there is no disputing it. And no getting around a solid prospect list climb and a big "simmer down" to those who have doubted his ability to mash in AA once he got there.

 

He got to AA and he has exploded.

 

Agreed

 

HR Derby Champ at All Star Game

1 - 5 with 2 runs scored in AS Game

 

1st game of 2nd half - 2-4 with 2 run HR (20)

.923 OPS in 2015

 

[big dog]

Nice to see him progressing- hope he keeps it up.  Pretty phenomenal year to date.  Would love for the Twins to have to figure out where he plays in the majors and who he bumps.

[TNLooky2015]

20 & 61 thru 68 games is pretty special or phenomenal as you say.  Especially while holding a .900+ OPS

 

39 extra base hits in 68 games is equally amazing considering he strikes out so much and not all of those hits are homers.  Intriguing prospect.  Time for AAA.  Why wait.  Chatty fans love him.

[Shane Wahl]

Updated statistics through July 4th:

 

303 PA, .267/.323/.596, 18 doubles, two triples, 23 homers, 22 walks, 113 strikeouts, two steals, and two times caught stealing.

 

The .919 OPS is probably about 100 points higher than most optimistic predictions out there for Walker this year. Everything else has played out as expected.

 

Walker is having a fantastic year. He has jumped into my top 10 prospects.

[lightfoot789]

Leads AA in HRs by 8

Leads AA in RBI by 16

Leads AA in XBH with 44

Tied for 6th in Runs scored

An ISO of .329

An wOBA of .412

An wRC+ of 158

37% SO Rate

 

Walker still might not be able to do produce at the MLB level, but he surely deserves a promotion to AAA.  You have to analyze year to year promotions by the success of what you want improved.  The only area everyone wants improved has not been satisfied with the year to year philosophy (3 years running).  Why not try something new and give him the mid season promotion?  What do you have to lose? 

 

Or ask Jake Mauer and Tommy Watkins what they did when they had Walker for a year.  Walker dropped his SO rate by 10% to (20% k rate) during his year with them.  What did they do differently to get such results?  He hit 27 HR and had 109 RBI in his MVP season with a 20% K rate.  He has improved before.  Why? & How?

[TRex]

The life of a big-time power hitter:

 

SPLIT TEAM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

June CHA 25 95 18 30 7 1 11 28 8 0 41 1 1 .316 .371 .758 1.129

July CHA 7 23 1 5 2 0 0 4 2 0 11 1 0 .217 .280 .304 .584

 

<it was all formatted when I initially posted, sorry>

[Shane Wahl]

That will happen. Give it another week and things will turn around for him again.

[BoomBoom]

 

NO SANO

NO BUXTON

NO KEPLER

NO POLANCO

NO HARRISON

 

NO PRESSURE

Lol

 

I'm predicting a 7 game winning streak starting July 12th

(quote me)

 

[GMinTraining]

Twins OF RBI Leaders Minus Torii Hunter (49)

 

At least 10 games played in OF

RBI

21  Rosario

29  Escobar

12  Robinson

09  Hicks

00  Buxton

08  Arcia

79 Total RBI

 

Walker = 75 RBI  

*25 more than next closest Twin prospect

*2nd in all of minor league baseball

 

Three years running - "He won't be able to use that power at the next level because of SO & contact issues" - But in the mean time? 75+ again

 

"AAA    AAA    AAA    AAA    AAA"

[BoomBoom]

Moved to #8 on Baseball America Midseason Top 10.   Based on season I can't argue.

[Shane Wahl]

2015 statistics:

 

395 PA, .263/.324/.561 (.886), 23 doubles, three triples, 26 home runs, 32 walks, 147 strikeouts, eight steals, and two times caught stealing

 

Here is the reality: The Twins--though I still think a 2015 September call up would be fun--are going to test Walker out in 2016 at AAA for an extended period of time, or he is going to be one of three or so pieces in a trade for a young catcher in the offseason.

 

I could see Walker get a chance for the Twins in 2016 after an injury happens and they want a 12-15 game spot for someone who could bolster the lineup.

 

The fact is still that the strikeouts are going to have to come down. There is some whining about Sano's MLB K rate right now (which I find absurd, by the way) . . . Walker would strike out 250 times in a MLB season right now. He just needs to see more pitches and learn. He is still young.

[Shane Wahl]

Walker had been in free fall until tonight. Two doubles and a single in tonight's game. 26 doubles and 26 homers now.

[BoomBoom]

It is amazing how Walker has tailed off so much in the last 2 months.  That being said:  He still has a 12 HR lead over any one in the Twins organization and 18 RBI lead over anyone in the Twins organization as well at this point.  

 

Seems that his walk to strike out ratio has improved drastically this month (BB/K) 12 to 21 and is arguably the best it has ever been.  His power numbers however, have dwindled under his new approach.  Walker has only 4 extra base hits in the month of August despite striking out nearly half as much.  If it's not the pitchers figuring him out and striking him out more, why is he making more contact and batting much worse in terms of efficiency the second half?  No Power and No BA?  Still at 27 HRs and 94 RBI despite hitting below .210 in second half.   More Contact = Better Results?   I just don't know?

[Shane Wahl]

 

It is amazing how Walker has tailed off so much in the last 2 months.  That being said:  He still has a 12 HR lead over any one in the Twins organization and 18 RBI lead over anyone in the Twins organization as well at this point.  

 

Seems that his walk to strike out ratio has improved drastically this month (BB/K) 12 to 21 and is arguably the best it has ever been.  His power numbers however, have dwindled under his new approach.  Walker has only 4 extra base hits in the month of August despite striking out nearly half as much.  If it's not the pitchers figuring him out and striking him out more, why is he making more contact and batting much worse in terms of efficiency the second half?  No Power and No BA?  Still at 27 HRs and 94 RBI despite hitting below .210 in second half.   More Contact = Better Results?   I just don't know?

 

It is a little puzzling. It almost looks like an injury to me.

499 PA, .246/.315/.502 (.817), 28 doubles, three triples, 27 homers, 45 walks, 176 strikeouts, 11 steals, two times caught stealing.

Career OPS = .801

 

[BoomBoom]

Chattanooga Lookouts @ChattLookouts
Last night @walkoff28 hit his 29th HR, breaking the #Lookouts single season record!

 

WATCH: pic.twitter.com/3yxc41CvkW
Retweeted by The Southern League

[BoomBoom]

Adam Brett Walker among 5 finalist for USA Today  "Minor League Player of the Year"

 

27 Outs Baseball ‏@27_OutsBaseball  10h10 hours ago
Awesome to hear @ChattLookouts @walkoff28 is a candidate for @usatoday @milb player of the year honors.

 

Vote for Adam Walker (@walkoff28), who has @ChattLookouts recrd 29 HR, for

USA Today Minor League Player of the Year

 

http://usat.ly/1WUJ3o3  

[Shane Wahl]

2016 Forecast:

 

Walker starts in AA, working on contact and that K rate. Any moderate improvement warrants a move to AAA by mid-season, in an effort to maximize the kind of pitching he will see. He will still be only 24 next year.

[BoomBoom]

http://m.milb.com/news/article/20150911148667888/astros_reed_wins_2015_bauman_award

 

Walker Wins AA Home Run Crown

Trivia :Who was the last Twins to do so?