JBLN STANDOUT CONSIDERED TO BE “THE NEXT JAZZ CHISHOLM”
NASSAU, Bahamas — From the time he started playing in the Junior Baseball League of Nassau, Sebastian Walcott had the notion that he would one day be a professional baseball player, The Tribune reported on Friday, August 11, 2023, in an article written by Senior Sports Reporter Brent Stubbs.
Considered to be the crown jewel of the Texas Rangers organisation’s 2023 signing class and the “next Jazz Chisholm,” the 17-year-old Walcott is now in the Arizona Complex League where in 147 at-bats, he’s averaging .265 with seven home runs, 21 runs batted in (RBI) and 11 stolen bases with the ACL Rangers.
His performance now has him ranked at number 94 with Baseball America Major League Baseball Pipeline as one of the Top 100 Prospects. He is also pegged at No.42 with The Athletic.
Walcott, who was signed to a minor league contract, said he got his feet wet in the pro ranks at the Dominican Republic Summer League before he was called up to the Arizona League on June 17.
“I’ve been playing well and just been having fun,” said Walcott, who stands at 6-feet, 4-inches and weighs 190 pounds. “I’ve just been enjoying Arizona so far.”
At this point in the game, Walcott said he just wants to stay consistent with his play and he’s been pleased to see his progress.
“When I hit my first home run in my first at-bat, I knew that I was heading towards something great here,” Walcott said.
“It was a sigh of relief because I didn’t hit one in the Dominican Summer League. So it was a big relief.”
Now that he’s established himself, Walcott said he will try to go out each and every day in every game and play the way he was taught from his introduction to the sport at JBLN and eventually the International Elite Academy where he got a hefty signing bonus under the guidance of Geron Sands in January.
“They expect me to continue doing what I’m doing right now,” Walcott said. “They want me to keep on improving offensively and defensively and just stay the same.”
With the league running through the end of August, Walcott said he just wants to finish off strong.
“My disciplined play is something that I really need to focus more on,” he said. “I’ve been chasing a lot of pitches outside of the zone, but lately Î’ve gotten better. I’ve been able to draw a lot more walks, so it’s getting better.”
While there’s not a large crowd of spectators on hand to watch the game, Walcott said the league is very competitive with a lot of polished players participating.
“It’s much more difficult than playing in the Dominican Summer League for sure,” he insisted, as he hopes to make an impact on the Texas Rangers’ front office for his future placement.
See complete article in The Tribune at http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/aug/11/walcott-crown-jewel-rangers-signing-class/
