Brewers Claim OF Adam Walker off Waivers from Twins

It's been a busy day for Slingin’ David Stearns and his staff at Miller Park. Earlier today we learned that the Brewers added five players to the 40 man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft, bringing it to a total of 39 players. It appears as though the Brewers have filled that last opening by reportedly claiming outfielder Adam Walker from the Minnesota Twins.

Walker turned 25 last month and was a 3rd round pick by the Twins in the 2012 draft. He has yet to appear in the major leagues. The Milwaukee Lutheran grad spent all of 2016 in AAA Rochester and hit .243/.305/.479 with 27 home runs in 132 games, albeit with an eye-popping 202 strikeouts.

Walker has long been included among the Twins top prospects and was ranked #15 by MLB Pipeline at the time of his DFA. His plus power is his best tool, though his hefty strikeout rate limits him a well-below average hit tool. He’s considered below average on defense with an arm that’s suited only for left field.

The Brewers have a bevy of outfielders already in the upper minors and at the MLB level so where exactly Walker will fit into that remains to be seen, and there are obviously serious questions about his ability to make enough contact to be able to make it in The Show.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference