Rangers Star Prospect May Need Swing Adjustment To Unlock Raw Power Potential

A Texas Rangers prospect might have to make a slight swing adjustment to get the most out of his potential.

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The Texas Rangers are heading toward what looks like it will be another disappointing season despite entering the campaign with such high expectations.

Coming into the year, many people thought the Rangers would be contending for the American League West title. The moves they made in the offseason to bolster their lineup were viewed positively. If things went well with their pitching staff, such as better injury luck, the ingredients for success were present.

Alas, not much went according to plan for Texas. Their lineup, which was regarded by some as the deepest in baseball coming into the season, has fallen woefully short of expectations. Routinely, that underwhelming offense has wasted incredible pitching performances from a rotation that has been among the best in baseball throughout the year.

With another disappointing campaign being wrapped up, there could be some major changes on the horizon for the Major League roster. An aging core needs an infusion of youth at some point in the near future. One of the players the Rangers have high hopes for is Sebastian Walcott.

Signed out of the Bahamas as an international free agent in 2023, Texas paid him handsomely with a $3.2 million bonus. He was the No. 8-ranked player in that international class. That ranking underestimated him, with the 19-year-old now the No. 8 ranked prospect in the entire sport in the updated top 100 revealed by Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.

Walcott has seen an impressive rise in the rankings since signing with the franchise. He was in the backhalf of the top 100 heading into the 2024 campaign, but in the 2025 preseason, the lowest he was ranked was No. 21. There were some evaluators who believed that he had No. 1 overall prospect kind of upside.

That certainly still exists, but he has found Double-A more challenging than his previous stops that led to his metoric rise. Through 101 games and 446 plate appearances, he has a .234/.332/.369 slash line with 11 home runs, 17 doubles and one triple. He has knocked in 47 runs and stolen 24 bases.

Sebastian Walcott Can Unlock Power With Swing Adjustment

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His dynamic skill set has been on full display against much better competition. He is amongst the youngest regulars in Double-A, five years younger than the average player. If he is going to reach the No. 1 overall prospect status some believe he is capable, a swing change may have to occur.

As McDaniel noted, his raw power is immense. He is measured at 6-foot-4 with the kind of lanky frame that generates eye-popping whip and swing speed. Once he fills out, he will be as imposing as any player in baseball.

Overcoming some swing-and-miss will always be a challenge for someone that size. But his strike zone recognition is good. What will determine how much power Walcott unlocks is whether he changes his swing plane.

Right now, he has a very flat swing. His raw power will make up for that right now, but to truly unlock his power, a slight adjustment might be needed. If he adds a little bit more launch, his power numbers will improve. 

That is something that can come overtime, as it is smart for him to focus on approach for now before making any mechanical changes. Given his youth, Walcott has plenty of time to make adjustments and unlock that next level of his performance.