Is Texas Rangers' prospect Sebastian Walcott the next Juan Soto?

Juan Soto is one of the hottest sluggers in baseball. There's a reason the Yankees traded for him, and are now playing in the World Series. Not many teams have the luxury of developing a slugger like Soto through the pipeline.

The Texas Rangers might be developing the next version of Juan Soto. Infielder Sebastian Walcott is the Rangers' number one prospect. After watching his stock rise this season, the Rangers could have to make room for him shortly.

Walcott began the 2024 season with the Hickory Crawdads, and that's where many pundits thought he would start the season based on his development. It took Walcott some time to get his bat going, but he finished with a .261 batting average with the Crawdads. He also participated in the MLB Futures game in Arlington. That's not a bad first half by any stretch.

Is Texas Rangers' prospect Sebastian Walcott the next Juan Soto?

In the latter half of the season, Walcott was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders to see how he would do at the next level. Walcott didn't take long to introduce himself to the RoughRiders' fanbase. He showcased his bat strength and crushed baseballs towards the warning track. While only one went over the fence for a home run, Walcott showed the Rangers' front office that he is developing faster than expected. I wouldn't be surprised if Walcott starts the 2025 season in Frisco.

I would like to see Walcott work on building muscle this offseason. If he had more muscle, he could have finished the season with nine to 10 home runs in Frisco. When he was hitting the ball, it consistently neared the padding along the outfield fence. That's how close he is to being a real threat in the minor leagues. I wouldn't be surprised if he were the top player in the Texas League next season.

I think Walcott will have a good shot of being the next Soto if he gains more muscle mass. All Walcott needs to do at the Major League level is be patient at the plate and wait for his pitch to launch the ball towards the outfield. He is a unique prospect that fans should be excited to see in Arlington one day.