Taylor Walls

Walls came up through the Rays system with the reputation as an elite defender as well as someone with a discernable eye at the plate willing to accept his walks and use his speed on the bases. The willingness to accept walks, the defense and steals have carried over to the major league level but little else. Walls has been a well below-average offensive player in nearly 650 major league plate appearances with a career .182/.281/.288 triple-slash line. The double-digit walk rate allowed him to steal 10 bags, but he also now holds the record for the lowest OBP in a single season for a player with at least 50 walks in a season (2022 Joey Gallo is 2nd.) His defense keeps him in the lineup nearly everyday, and his speed is a fantasy asset, but that is the only area where you can legitimately expect fantasy value while he likely hits 9th in the lineup until his bat shows some kind of life as even his xBA's on all pitch types are barely over the Mendoza line. This is the type of player you let someone else roster and tip your cap to them if it pans out.

Walls is among a glut of young middle infield talent in the Rays' organization, though he has also played third base while rising through the minors and the early portion of his major-league career. That versatility may help him cut through some of the competition for playing time, particularly because he is regarded as an above-average defender. As for his bat, Walls will be reliant upon his hit tool and speed to produce in the fantasy context. He never hit more than 10 home runs in a full minor-league season, and when his ISO jumped in Double and Triple-A, his strikeout rate followed suit. Even with an elevated strikeout rate, Walls regularly posted an on-base percentage of over .330 - and often well in excess of that mark - thanks to excellent patience at the plate. In combination with his speed, Walls' ability to get on base will be his clearest path to fantasy value. In contrast to his power, there is a track record of Walls posting double-digit stolen bases, and he managed to do so at every level of the minors. The remaining two hurdles are a lack of consistent playing time and some struggles with efficiency on the basepaths, both of which will be keys to monitor his potential production both in 2022 and into the future.

Walls spent the 2020 campaign training at the Rays' alternate site following three minor-league seasons during which he established himself as a steady fielder and patient hitter with plus speed. The 24-year-old isn't likely to hit for much power, but he brings a professional approach to the plate that has thus far resulted in a 12.1 BB% and 18.3 K% in the minors. From a fantasy perspective, Walls' best attribute is probably his above-average speed that he converted into 59 stolen bases in 86 attempts between 2018 and 2019. Tampa Bay protected him from the Rule 5 draft in November, an indication that they see him contributing at the major-league level, perhaps as soon as next season. Once he arrives, Walls could fill a super-utility role, but he may not offer enough in terms of offensive production to excite as a fantasy asset.