With the 26th pick in the 2019 MLB amateur draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Blake Walston, a left-handed pitcher out of North Carolina.
The dual-sport phenom was absent from a lot of the showcase circuit, instead opting to quarterback his high school football team. As a result, his draft stock was a little lower than it likely would have been, as opportunities to see the southpaw were less frequent. That being said, Walston's projectable frame - even as a 17-year-old - led teams to covet the NC State recruit.
The Diamondbacks received this pick as compensation for not signing Matt McLain following the 2018 draft.
Bio
Age: 17
Position: LHP
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 172 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
School: New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.)
NCAA commit: North Carolina State
Pick value (No. 26): $2,653,400
MLB.com money quote: "Gatorade's 2019 North Carolina High School Player of the Year and a catalyst behind back-to-back state 3-A baseball championships, Walston has shown glimpses of what he can become by working with a riding 90-to-93-mph fastball early in some games, but he'll also sit in the upper 80s at times and dip to 85 mph late in contests."
2019 stats (as of June 3)
| IP (G) | ERA | K% | K/BB | HR/9 | OPP. AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68.2 (12) | 0.20 | 51.2% | 129/18 | 0 | .102 |
Take a look ...
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)
