Top Prospect Sebastian Walcott Wants to Make MLB Debut in 2025 for Rangers

Smiley N. Pool - Dallas Morning News

Major League Baseball has made quite a push trying to market the game of baseball to the younger generations. From rule changes, to marketing the players better on social media sites, to creating unique pathways for players and teams to be rewarded for promoting top young talent to the big leagues. There has never been more elite young talent at the MLB level as there is right now.

Sebastian Walcott represents a key figure in the next wave over the next couple of years and he is ready for the moment.

“I want to make every fans experience here worthwhile,” Walcott said to reporters in Frisco. “Every time I step on the field, I want to make sure I put on a performance for every person here. That is who I have always been. I have always been a guy to get the crowd going by hitting doubles, triples, and home runs. I like to steal bases and make those nice throws on the run. I want to continue to do that. I am going to continue helping our team and myself. Putting the team first is my priority. If I have to make that diving play to stop a run, then I have to do that and it will get the fans going. I want to be entertaining. If people think baseball is boring, I am here to show people that it is not.”

Walcott turned 19 years old in March. He also sits at number one in the Texas Rangers top prospects list, as well as number 17 in all of baseball according to MLB.com.

Although he has already been cemented as number one for Texas, he has his eyes on the top spot in baseball.

“It would definitely be special to be considered the number one prospect in baseball,” Walcott noted. “ That is special that people think so highly of you. That would be great but making the big leagues is my number one goal. Helping the Texas Rangers win is my number one goal. Having that number one prospect status is cool but it only lasts for so long. After that, you are a big leaguer and have to perform on the field. I am focusing on the main goal so if the top ranking happens, it happens.”

With his eyes on the major leagues, Walcott would be joining a very elite list of players who have debuted as teenagers.

Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and Jurickson Profar are just a few names that have accomplished this feat and have had sustained success at the major league level since they debuted.

“It would be awesome to be a 19-year-old in the big leagues,” Walcott said of the possibility. “It is very rare. To be in that group with guys like Soto and Profar, it would be very special. Both of those guys were All Stars last year and Soto just got the biggest contract in MLB history. Being in that conversation would be good. If I do go to the big leagues, my main goal is to help the Rangers win the World Series. I want to have the winning mindset all year. I want to focus on winning and becoming a better player and teammate. Championships is the main goal when I get there. Getting there at 19 would be really awesome.”

Walcott got his first taste being around big leaguers this spring after he received an invite to Major League camp as a non-roster invite. He carried a 1.611 OPS over eight games while gaining very valuable experience picking the brains of the MLB veterans he shared a locker room with.

“Those guys up there, you don’t really see them get frustrated during spring training or really even during the season,” Walcott said of being with the big league team during Spring Training. “It is a really long season. It is 162 games in the big leagues and over 130 games down here in Double-A. You have a long time to figure some things out. You will have more bad days than good days. There is always more failures than successes. Just realizing that aspect and having the mental strength to deal with that is key. Those guys have been in the big leagues for more than ten years and have dealt with it their whole careers. They have now mastered how to handle that failure it feels like. There will be times that you do just need to let it out. I just need to not show it as much and I will be good.”

Being listed at 6-foot-four, Walcott shares that trait with current Rangers shortstop and World Series hero Corey Seager.

Seager is a ten year veteran, five time all-star, and a former Rookie of the Year winner. The perfect role model and example for Walcott to follow as he makes his way to the big leagues.

“For a guy that is that big, it is definitely surprising to see him at shortstop and he plays the position really well,” Walcott said of Seager. “Seeing him take ground ball is really smooth. He makes everything look so easy. I think that is why he has stuck at shortstop for his whole career because he has been able to play that position well. Of course his bat helps as well. He is elite on both ends in my opinion. That is why he is one of the best players in the game and the best shortstop in the game. He goes about his business like such a professional. The way he carries himself on and off the field is truly awesome. He is here to stay and will bring more success for a long period of time.”

With all this talk about playing shortstop at a high level, Walcott has done just that since turning pro in 2023. He appeared in 81 games at shortstop last season and saw time at third base for 20 games. Seager is going to be the starting shortstop until 2031 if all goes well until the end of his big contract.

How does Walcott fit if that is the case?

“I am open to everything,” Walcott said of where he would play. “I am a teammate and a ball player. Whatever it takes to help the Rangers win another World Series, I am completely open to it. I could be right field, center field, left field, or even first base. It really does not matter. I am willing to help the Rangers win. I am willing to help myself and my teammates win a World Series. I am trying to become a better person on the field and help my teammates. If it helps the team by me moving to a different position, then I will do anything. You see Josh Smith playing every position to help his team. You see Ezequiel Duran doing it too at the big league level. I am not closed off to any position. My primary position right now is shortstop but if I have to play another position during the week, I am open to that.”

The minor league season is officially underway and Walcott has found himself starting the year in Double-A Frisco, where he ended the 2024 season for a short stint.

While he did end up getting promoted to Double-A, he struggled out of the gate in High-A.

“I think it was more results based,” Walcott said of the struggles. “I wasn’t playing good so I wasn’t feeling good at the beginning of last season. I just need to stay more even-keeled no matter what the results are. I am just happy to be here and happy to be playing baseball. Just taking it day-by-day this year. I think I did that in Spring Training a lot this year. Not worrying so much about the results and just trusting my process. That will be my main thing this year.”