Taylor Walls

Position: SS
Level: Class A
Affiliate: Bowling Green Hot Rods
League: Midwest League
Born: 07/10/1996 (Age: 27)
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180
B/T: Both / Right
Acquired: 3rd Rd., 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft (TB)

Prospect Spotlight

Walls signed with the Rays as a third-round underslot pick from Florida State in 2017. He’s a polished switch-hitter who has put up strong numbers in his first full professional season with Class A Bowling Green, riding a .320/.418/.469 slash line to the Midwest League All-Star Game.

Home run power won’t be his strength, but a polished approach gets him into hitters counts in A-Ball and allows him to catch fastballs to drive. Walls shows 40-grade raw power from both sides of the plate, able to spray the gaps with line drives. A compact and efficient stroke yields a high rate of contact, and he grades out as an above-average runner. His right-handed swing has more strength to its game contact than from the left side. As the quality of pitching increases against high-minors competition, focusing on contact and not falling behind in counts will be crucial for his success at the plate. The best-case offensive outlook for Walls is a 50-grade hit tool with on-base ability given his discerning batting eye.

Walls lines up at shortstop for the Hot Rods, where he is a serviceable defender with average range/actions and arm-strength. Nothing is outstanding about his tools in the field, but he’s a well-rounded gloveman with the instincts to slot in at second or third base in a pinch. The sum of the parts gives Walls the ceiling of a solid role player.