Juan Soto is one of baseball’s hottest sluggers. There’s a reason the Yankees traded for him and are now playing in the World Series. Not many teams can afford to develop a slugger like Soto through the pipeline.
The Texas Rangers may be developing the next version of Juan Soto. Infielder Sebastian Walcott is the Rangers’ No. 1 prospect. Seeing his stock rise this season, the Rangers may have to make room for him soon.
Walcott started the 2024 season with the Hickory Crawdads, and many experts expected him to start there based on his development. Walcott took some time to get his bat back on track, but he did manage to hit .261 with the Crowdads. He also played in the MLB Futures game in Arlington. The first half isn’t bad at all.
Will Texas Rangers prospect Sebastian Walcott become the next Juan Soto?
Later in the season, Walcott was promoted to the Frisco Roughriders to see how he would fare at the next level. Walcott didn’t take long to introduce himself to the Roughriders’ fan base. He showed off his strength with the bat, smashing the ball towards the warning track. Although he only hit one home run over the fence, Walcott showed the Rangers’ front office that he was improving faster than expected. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Walcott starts the 2025 season in Frisco.
I want Walcott to work on building muscle this offseason. If he had more muscle, he could have finished the season hitting nine or 10 home runs in Frisco. When he was hitting, the ball was always close to the pads along the outfield fence. That’s how close he is to becoming a true threat in the minor leagues. I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes a top player in the Texas League next season.
If Walcott gains more muscle, I think he has a good chance of becoming the next Soto. All Walcott has to do at the major league level is be patient at the plate and wait for the pitch to send the ball flying toward the outfield. He is a unique prospect that fans will look forward to seeing in Arlington someday.