Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50 

After drawing little interest from pro teams or major college programs as a Texas high schooler, Janek has developed into arguably the 2024 Draft's best catching prospect after three years at Sam Houston. His stock surged at the 2023 Karbach Classic, where he went 5-for-13 with a pair of doubles, squared up a 97-mph fastball from Louisiana State's Chase Shores and backpicked a runner. He continued to impress in the Cape Cod League last summer and played his way into first-round consideration this spring while winning the Buster Posey Award as college baseball's top catcher.

With impressive bat speed and good strength, Janek creates plus raw power that translates into average game pop with most of his home runs driven to his pull side. While he's an aggressive right-handed hitter who looks to launch balls and frequently chases pitches out of the strike zone, he's showing more patience and doing a better job of using the entire field in 2024. Though he has below-average speed, he runs better than most catchers and will steal bases if opponents don't keep him honest.

Conference USA's 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, Janek is agile behind the plate and does a nice job framing pitches. He can get lackadaisical with his receiving, which grades as merely average until he cleans it up. He controls the running game with his plus arm strength and quick release.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 65 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Janek went from barely scouted or recruited as a Texas high schooler to the first catcher selected in the 2024 Draft after three years at Sam Houston. He batted .364/.476/.709 with 17 homers while throwing out 52 percent of basestealers last spring to win the Buster Posey Award as college baseball's best backstop. Signed for $3,130,000 as the 28th overall pick and third first-rounder in Bearkats history, he struggled in an aggressive assignment to High-A for his pro debut.

The Astros believed Janek was the best defensive catcher in the Draft. He's agile behind the plate and is getting more consistent with his receiving, framing and blocking, all of which can become solid with more improvement. He enhances his well-above-average arm strength with a quick release to keep the running game in check, but he'll need to learn to call games after not doing so in college.

A right-handed hitter, Janek generates plus raw power with his bat speed and strength. He makes hard contact when he doesn't try to do too much at the plate, though he can get pull-happy and expanded his strike zone too much in his first taste of pro ball. He shows a willingness to draw walks and will steal bases with his below-average speed if opponents don't pay attention to him.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50 

After drawing little interest from pro teams or major college programs as a Texas high schooler, Janek developed into the first catcher drafted in 2024 after three years at Sam Houston. His stock surged at the 2023 Karbach Classic, where he went 5-for-13 with a pair of doubles, squared up a 97-mph fastball from Louisiana State's Chase Shores and backpicked a runner. He continued to impress in the Cape Cod League last summer and won the Buster Posey Award as college baseball's top catcher this spring before signing with the Astros for $3,130,000 as the 28th overall selection.

With impressive bat speed and good strength, Janek creates plus raw power that translates into average game pop with most of his home runs driven to his pull side. While he's an aggressive right-handed hitter who looks to launch balls and frequently chases pitches out of the strike zone, he showed more patience and did a better job of using the entire field in 2024. Though he has below-average speed, he runs better than most catchers and will steal bases if opponents don't keep him honest.

Conference USA's 2024 defensive player of the year, Janek is agile behind the plate and does a nice job framing pitches. He can get lackadaisical with his receiving, which grades as merely average until he cleans it up. He controls the running game with his plus arm strength and quick release.

Awards

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/08/2025	American League Fall Stars placed C Walker Janek on the reserve list.
	09/10/2025	C Walker Janek assigned to Scottsdale Scorpions.
	03/21/2025	C Walker Janek assigned to Houston Astros.
	03/06/2025	activated C Walker Janek.
	08/06/2024	C Walker Janek assigned to Asheville Tourists from FCL Astros.
	08/06/2024	Asheville Tourists activated C Walker Janek.
	08/06/2024	Asheville Tourists activated C Walker Janek.
	08/05/2024	C Walker Janek assigned to FCL Astros.
	07/26/2024	Houston Astros signed C Walker Janek.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated C Walker Janek.
	06/09/2023	Falmouth Commodores activated C Walker Janek.
	06/08/2023	C Walker Janek assigned to College Workout.
	05/13/2023	C Walker Janek assigned to Sam Houston Bearkats.
	02/16/2022	C Walker Janek and assigned to Sam Houston Bearkats.