Rangers top prospect’s Arizona Fall League plans take an unfortunate turn

It was a bit of a surprise that Sebastian Walcott was even sent to the Arizona Fall League (AFL) this year following 124 games in Double-A Frisco, the 19-year-old has officially been shut down for the year.

Walcott, MLB Pipeline's No. 6 overall prospect, played one game during its first week then was sidelined from the remainder of the week. Which prompted a lot of people to wonder why they hadn't seen the top prospect. However, on Tuesday it was revealed the Rangers sidelined him due to arm fatigue.

Walcott's long-term health takes precedent over AFL games

A native of the Bahamas, Walcott signed the six-foot-four shortstop as an international free agent in January 2023 at just 17 years old. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that same year and has quickly risen within the organization and around Major League Baseball.

In 2025, Walcott spent all season with the Rangers' Double-A team in Frisco. He played in 124 games which surpassed his season high of 121 games the year prior.

Except this season he was hit with more down stretches than in year's past despite the offensive production not taking that big of a hit. During the year, he slashed .255/.355/.386 with 13 home runs, 59 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, 19 doubles and an .741 OPS.

The good news is that Walcott's arm fatigue doesn't seem to be more than that. He will be evaluated in the coming weeks but as for his tenure in the AFL, that has officially come to a close. Rangers have a giant future planned with Walcott, so making sure he's healthy and prepared to go for whatever the 2026 season has for him is the organization's top priority.