Andrew Walters (baseball)
| Andrew Walters | |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Guardians | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: December 8, 2000 Palm Bay, Florida, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right |
Andrew Wayne Walters (born December 8, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Cleveland Guardians organization.
Amateur career[edit]
Walters grew up in Palm Bay, Florida and attended Bayside High School.[1]
Walters began his college baseball career at Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) and played one season, which was cut short due to Covid-19 and did not count towards his collegiate eligibility. In 2021, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[2] He transferred to Miami after his one season at EFSC.[3] Walters made 19 appearances and had a 1.46 ERA with 36 strikeouts and nine walks in his first season with the Hurricanes.[4] He was named Miami's closer entering his redshirt sophomore season and was named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) after leading the conference with 14 saves.[5] Walters was selected in the 18th round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft by the Baltimore Orioles, but opted to return to Miami for his redshirt junior season.[6] He was named a consensus first-team All-American in 2023 after finishing the season with a 4-0, 12 saves, and 1.21 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 44+2⁄3 innings pitched over 28 appearances.[7]
Professional career[edit]
Walters was selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the second round, with the 62nd overall pick in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.[8] On July 22, 2023, Walters signed with Cleveland for a below slot deal worth $955,275.[9]
Personal life[edit]
Walters' parents were college athletes at Florida Tech with his father playing basketball and his mother playing softball.[10] His uncle, Matt Walters, played college football at Miami and was a starting defensive tackle on the Hurricanes' 2001 National Championship team before playing in the NFL for the New York Jets.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ Sargent, Bill (November 8, 2018). "Sargent: Family comes first, then fishing for Walters". Florida Today. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Andrew Walters". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "Miami All-American closer's uncle was catalyst for one of UM football's famous finishes". Miami Herald. February 16, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Andrew Walters has big shoes to fill as Miami's closer". Sun Sentinel. February 17, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "From unknown to All-American, Miami's Andrew Walters emerges as unlikely draft prospect". Miami Herald. July 17, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ Stock, Christopher (July 19, 2022). "RHP Andrew Walters selected in 18th round by Baltimore". 247Sports.com. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Pitcher Andrew Walters Garners All-America Accolade". Rivals.com. June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ Hemminger, Brian (July 9, 2023). "MLB Draft 2023: Cleveland selects RHP Andrew Walters with No. 62 pick". Covering the Corner.
- ^ "Guardians sign 19 of 21 Draft picks, including 1st-rounder Velazquez". mlb.com. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "All-American closer Walters rejects MLB, will return to the Miami Hurricanes". Miami Herald. August 1, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
External links[edit]
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Eastern Florida State College Titans bio
- Miami Hurricanes bio