The guy is definitely part of the future, he is only 22 which is pretty young for baseball players, most dont break in until around 23-25. He was definitely rushed through the system and not handled correctly but without a doubt the org still sees him as a big part of the future.
Right, and development - especially baseball prospects - is far from linear.
Chase Davis - our 2023 first round pick who is actually a few months older than Walker - didn't hit any home runs in his first season after being drafted and a lot of the last one. He struggled mightily. Now he's in Double-A and poised to be a potential left fielder of the future.
Andre Pallante turned himself from fireballer to pitcher and back to fireballer with development, and now he could potentially be our number two starter (or perhaps ace if Gray is dealt).
Hell, Rick Ankiel should be the proverbial poster-boy for "baseball development is not linear".
I trust Walker's development and his potential to be a part of the future. I trust that they have a plan with it. The vast majority of prospects aren't Pujolsian right off the bat, and they don't have to be to help our team.