Walker Janek Stats & Scouting Report

AB	163
AVG	.282
OBP	.359
SLG	.448
HR	4

Full name Walker Payne Janek
Born 09/24/2002 in Portland, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Sam Houston
Drafted in the 1st round (28th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2024 (signed for $3,130,000).

View Draft Report

School: Sam Houston State
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade: 50/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Run: 45. Field: 60. Arm: 60.

Janek is the top defensive catcher in the 2024 class, and his elite catch-and-throw skills have earned him praise and stymied baserunners since his 2022 freshman season. He made the Western Athletic Conference all-defensive team as a freshman and in 2024 became the Conference USA defensive player of the year while also having a career-best offensive season. A 6-foot, 190-pound catcher, Janek has a typical backstop’s build with plus defensive tools for the position. He receives at a high level and presents the ball with a comfortable and athletic setup—and he’s adept in a one-knee stance. He moves well laterally and has soft, deft hands and centering ability while blocking. He gets rid of the ball quickly and efficiently on his transfers with plus arm strength and consistent 1.85-second pop times in games. He threw out 16 of 31 basestealers (51.6%) and is a lock to stick at the position with plus defensive upside. Janek’s tools are quieter on the offensive side but still solid. He’s got a chance for average pure hitting ability and average power, though he has traditionally been a low-ball, fastball hitter who will flash pull-side power but needs to improve his contact versus secondary pitches. His 2024 season was his loudest. He hit .368/.480/.714 with 17 home runs. Janek is a high-probability big leaguer thanks to his defensive prowess and has a chance to be the first catcher off the board.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: A native of Portland, Texas, and a three-year starter for Sam Houston State, Janek is one of the most decorated defensive catchers in recent college history. In 2024, Janek won the Buster Posey Award as the top college catcher, was a first-team All-American and finished as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award. After hitting .364/.476/.709 as a junior, Janek went 28th overall to the Astros and signed for $3,132,500. He debuted with High-A Asheville after the draft. In 25 games, Janek hit .175/.214/.289 with one home run, but he threw out 44% of 25 basestealers.

Scouting Report: Janek is a glove-first catcher who’s shown steady improvement with his bat over the last three seasons. Standing 6 feet, 190 pounds with average athleticism, he is close to physically maxed out, but he moves extremely well behind the plate and handles the rigors of the position. Janek shows average bat-to-ball skills with slightly aggressive swing decisions, leading to some out-of-zone whiff. In the zone, Janek made consistent contact and flashed average power as a college junior in 2024. He is likely to provide solid at-bats with the ability to hit 14 to 17 home runs in a full-time role. He’s a fringe-average runner underway but is unlikely to steal many bases. Behind the plate, Janek is plus, with strong receiving and blocking skills and a plus-plus arm that helps him consistently post pop times of under 1.9 seconds on throws to second base. Janek’s combination of elite catch-and-throw skills, an ability to handle a pitching staff and average offensive contributions makes him a well-rounded prospect.

The Future: Janek is an outstanding defensive catcher who can control the running game and hit just enough to carve out an everyday role.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Field: 60 | Arm: 70.

Draft Prospects

School: Sam Houston State Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade: 50/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Run: 45. Field: 60. Arm: 60.

Janek is the top defensive catcher in the 2024 class, and his elite catch-and-throw skills have earned him praise and stymied baserunners since his 2022 freshman season. He made the Western Athletic Conference all-defensive team as a freshman and in 2024 became the Conference USA defensive player of the year while also having a career-best offensive season. A 6-foot, 190-pound catcher, Janek has a typical backstop’s build with plus defensive tools for the position. He receives at a high level and presents the ball with a comfortable and athletic setup—and he’s adept in a one-knee stance. He moves well laterally and has soft, deft hands and centering ability while blocking. He gets rid of the ball quickly and efficiently on his transfers with plus arm strength and consistent 1.85-second pop times in games. He threw out 16 of 31 basestealers (51.6%) and is a lock to stick at the position with plus defensive upside. Janek’s tools are quieter on the offensive side but still solid. He’s got a chance for average pure hitting ability and average power, though he has traditionally been a low-ball, fastball hitter who will flash pull-side power but needs to improve his contact versus secondary pitches. His 2024 season was his loudest. He hit .368/.480/.714 with 17 home runs. Janek is a high-probability big leaguer thanks to his defensive prowess and has a chance to be the first catcher off the board.