Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Late Round Draft Picks to Watch in 2022

Deion Walker

With another late-round over slot pick from the 2019 pick, we have outfielder Deion Walker. Like Dixon, Walker is a high-ceiling, athletic high school outfielder. But the similarities end there. Walker was picked much later than Dixon, coming in the 35th round. But make no mistake, he still has talent to keep an eye on as he progresses.

In 2019, Walker had just 83 plate appearances in his pro debut. He did have 20 hits, including 5 doubles, 3 triples, and a home run. However, he drew just 5 base on balls while making an out at the plate 18 times. Walker’s 2021 season wasn’t very kind to him. He received all 97 plate appearances at the Florida Coast League, batting just .200/.340/.300. He did up his walk rate to 15.5%, but also struck out 23.7% of the time. Not to mention he had just 4 extra-base hits.

While Dixon is an extremely quick prospect who relies on his strong plate discipline to reach base, Walker is a prospect with plus power potential. Walker is listed at 6’4″ at just 20-years-old. He only weighs in at 180 pounds, but by the time he’s 22-24 years old, he’ll fill out his body to add more muscle. A 6’4″, 205-pound outfielder has the frame to be a power hitter in the majors.

Walker is a good runner with plus defense. He’s still a raw talent that needs to be refined, but the ability is there. Walker is still a handful of years away from being a potential contributor to the major leagues. But with his potential, we may see him among the Pirates’ more noteworthy outfield prospects.