Top Texas Rangers Prospect Joins Rare Statistical Group

Sebastian Walcott joined a club of three after his week wrapped up with High-A Hickory on Sunday.

Jul 13, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; American League Future infielder Sebastian Walcott (1) reacts during the Futures Skills Showcase at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Sebastian Walcott is just 18 years old and he’s been the Texas Rangers’ top prospect for much of the season.

After his week at High-A Hickory wrapped up on Sunday, Walcott joined a rare group of top prospects, statistically speaking.

Walcott enters this week with 10 home runs, 21 doubles, and 15 stolen bases. In the span of the past 12 seasons, only two other prospects put up those kinds of numbers in a single season with a full-season affiliate at age 18. Both are in the Majors right now.

The first is familiar to Rangers fans — Fernando Tatis Jr., the son of former Rangers outfielder Fernando Tatis Sr.

10 homers, 20 doubles & 15 stolen bases on the season for @swalcott242. 🔥

Walcott is the third player in the last 12 years to record 10 HR, 20 2B and 15 SB for a full season affiliate at age 18 joining Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Chourio. pic.twitter.com/Sr1UZgNLUl

— Rangers Player Development (@TEXPlayerDev) August 3, 2024

Tatis Jr. did it in 2017, was he played 117 games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Class A Midwest League. He finished the season with a combined .278 batting average with 22 home runs, 75 RBIs and 32 stolen bases as he played 14 games with Double-A San Antonio.

He is a two-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove player at 25 years old with the San Diego Padres.

The other is Milwaukee rookie center fielder Jackson Chourio.

The Brewers signed him as an international free agent in 2021. He accomplished the feat last season with Double-A Biloxi, where he hit 22 home runs and stole 40 bases. He was Double-A’s first 20/40 player since 2005.

The Brewers signed him to an eight-year contract worth $82 million with two club options for the 2032 and 2033 seasons in the offseason. It was the largest contract given out to a player who had not reached the major leagues and he made Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster at 20 years old.

Walcott was the Rangers’ biggest signee of the 2023 international draft class and is from the Bahamas. He has quickly raised expectations among the franchise’s player development group.

This is his first year with a full-season affiliate and he’s batted .250/.340/.430/.770 and is pushing for a late-season call-up to Double-A Frisco.

Along with his play at Hickory, when the Rangers hosted All-Star Weekend, Walcott was a primary player in the MLB Futures game as the AL team’s starting shortstop and as one of the contenders in the inaugural MLB Futures Skills Competition.

After he signed last January, he started the season in the Dominican Summer League and played well enough to move stateside to join the Arizona Complex League Rangers and take a few at-bats with Hickory. Combined he slashed .246/.335/.471/.806 with seven home runs and 24 RBI.