Walls has been a model of consistency in the pro ranks, climbing through the Rays’ system on the strength of his plus defense, solid bat and advanced feel for the game. After ranking among the Class A Midwest League leaders in numerous categories including average (.304, fifth), hits (142, third) and runs (87, second) in his first full season, Walls advanced from Class A Advanced Charlotte to Double-A Montgomery in 2019, compiling a .795 OPS with 40 extra-base hits and 28 steals between the two stops.
Walls’ patient approach and knack for grinding out at-bats make him a tough out. After recording more walks (178) than strikeouts (145) at Florida State, he’s walked more than 12 percent of the time and reached base at a .364 clip across his first three seasons. A switch-hitter, Walls shows more impact potential from the left side of the plate with a hit-to-all-fields, line-drive approach and occasional home-run power. He provides additional value with his sharp baserunning and ranked fourth in the system in steals (28) in 2019 after tying for second (31) in his first full season.
The Rays’ Defensive Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons, Walls is a plus defender at shortstop with great hands, picturesque fielding mechanics and a strong arm that leave little doubt about his ability to remain at the position. His above-average speed, quick first step and strong instincts translate to above-average range in all directions, and he earns rave reviews from club officials for his ability to slow down the speed of the game. That Walls has dabbled at second and third base as a pro and can theoretically play anywhere in the outfield could make him a valuable super-utility type player, or possibly even a second-division regular, at the highest level.
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45
The last time Florida State had a shortstop who garnered early-round consideration was in 2004, when Stephen Drew was in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick and ended up going No. 15 overall to Arizona. Walls has continued to perform at Class A Bowling Green in his first full season, when he ranked among the Midwest League leaders in average (.304, fifth), hits (142, third), on-base pct. (.393, fifth) and runs (87, second).
Walls' best offensive skill is his plate discipline. After compiling more walks (178) than strikeouts (145) during his 196-game college career, Walls posted 66 walks against 80 strikeouts at Bowling Green. He's a switch-hitter who grinds out at-bats, with a line-drive approach and some extra-base ability, albeit with below-average over-the-fence power. An above-average runner with strong instincts, he tied for second in the organization with 31 stolen bases.
While he's not a flashy defender, Walls makes all the plays at shortstop, with arm strength and range that both grade as a tick above average. He was named the Defensive Player of the Year by the Rays Baseball Operations department last season and should be able to stay up the middle long-term, either at short or second base. Walls might profile best eventually as a super-utility type, but has a chance to succeed as an everyday player up the middle.
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45
The last time Florida State had a shortstop who garnered early-round consideration was in 2004, when Stephen Drew was in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick and ended up going No. 15 overall to Arizona. Walls didn't rate that highly ahead of the 2017 Draft, but his track record of success and the fact that college shortstop performers always do well in the Draft earned him a third-round selection by Tampa Bay. After making his pro debut with Class A Short Season Hudson Valley, Walls began his first full season in the Class A Midwest League with Bowling Green.
While Walls didn't hit for average in his junior year, he did as a sophomore, capping that year with a solid performance for Team USA. His best offensive skill is his plate discipline, as Walls compiled more walks (178) than strikeouts (145) during his 196-game Seminoles career. He's a switch-hitter who grinds out at-bats, with a line-drive approach and some extra-base ability, albeit with little over-the-fence power.
He's a scrappy defender with an arm that's a tick above-average. He has the tools to stay at shortstop but could be better suited for second base. Walls might profile best eventually as a super-utility type, but he has a chance to succeed as an everyday player up the middle.
The last time Florida State had a shortstop who garnered early round consideration was in 2004, when Stephen Drew was in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick and ended up going No. 15 overall to the D-backs. Walls didn't rate that highly ahead of the 2017 Draft, but his track record of success combined with the fact that college shortstop performers always do well in the Draft earned him a third-round selection by Tampa Bay.
While Walls didn't hit for average in his junior year, he did as a sophomore and capped that year off with a solid performance for Team USA last summer. His best offensive skill is his plate discipline. Walls walked more than he struck out and really grinds out at-bats. A switch-hitter, Walls has a line-drive approach with some extra-base ability but not a ton of over-the-fence power.
He's a scrappy defender with an arm that's a tick above-average. He has the tools to stay at shortstop but could be better suited for second base. Walls might profile best eventually as a super-utility type, but has a chance to succeed as an everyday player up the middle.
