MLB Draft Profile- Walker Janek

At Draft Nation, the MLB draft talk never ends. We will get you ready for the 2024 draft with player profiles and mock drafts so you can see who your favorite team may add to their roster. 

Today’s Spotlight - Sam Houston State, C, Walker Janek

Name- Walker Janek

Bats/Throws- R/R

Pos- C

Team- Sam Houston State

HT/WT- 6’0”  190 lbs

Born- 9/24/2002

Home – Portland, TX

Janek attended Gregory-Portland High School in Texas. As a senior, he batted .334 with 6 home runs, 36 stolen bases and 45 RBI. He was named district Offensive Player of the Year and chose to join Sam Houston State following his high school career.

As a freshman, Janek slashed .308/.432/.456 (average, on base %, slugging) and hit 7 home runs. 4 doubles and drove in 33 RBI in 51 games.

Last season as a sophomore, he improved his slugging a bit with a slash line of .301/.377/.549. He hit 13 home runs and 17 doubles, and was responsible for 65 RBI in 57 games.

This season is Janek's junior year. He is expected to improve drastically and is projected as one of the top catchers in the draft.

Strengths

• Versatility
• Athleticism
• Bat-to-Ball Skills

Janek brings some above average bat-to-ball skills at the plate, while also showing average but improving power. His athleticism and solid glove skills give him defensive versatility as he plays catcher as well as a solid third base.

Weaknesses

• Inconsistency
• Average Arm

Janek has been a bit inconsistent at times, showing streaky power at the plate. He also has an average arm behind the plate which may limit his ability to throw out baserunners consistently as a pro if it does not get stronger. A solid and steady 2024 should help ease these concerns.

Janek is an interesting and versatile prospect with the ability to impact a game in several ways. He's a solid defender at both catcher and third base, though scouts are not sure which position holds a future for him quite yet. At the plate, his pure hitting skill with average power has also drawn attention from scouts. He projects to be a fringe day 1 selection, possibly slipping to early day 2.

Draft Nation Projection- 1st round pick