MLB Draft comes with high anticipation for Kats
7/12/2024 12:07:00 PM | Baseball
FORT WORTH – The Sam Houston baseball brand has a chance to once again take center stage this weekend at the MLB Draft with junior catcher Walker Janek projected to be selected in the first round. Â
The event is set to begin with the first two rounds, compensatory rounds, competitive balance rounds and prospect promotion incentive selections on the Opening Night of the draft on Sunday, July 14. Â
It is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. CT on Sunday and can be watched exclusively on ESPN, MLB Network and MLB.com. The final two days can be watched on MLB.com with the draft resuming at 1:00 p.m. CT on July 15 with Rounds 3-10. Day 3 will start at 1:00 p.m. on July 16 with Rounds 11-20.Â
The MLB Draft is now a part of the MLB All-Star Game Weekend festivities hosted this year by the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers. All three days of the event will take place at the Cowtown Coliseum, located in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Â
Janek entered the 2024 season on radar as one of the top catchers available for this year's draft but rocketed up the projections throughout the year after compiling the best collegiate season of his career. MLB Pipeline's latest prospect rankings have Janek ranked as the No. 24 prospect available in the draft and the top catcher, while other outlets such as D1Baseball.com, Baseball America and Perfect Game all have him tabbed as a likely first-round choice. Â
Should he go in the first round, Janek would become just the third Kat ever selected in the first round. The others were Colton Cowser in 2021 (Round 1, Pick 5; Baltimore Orioles) and Glenn Wilson in 1980 (Round 1, Pick 18; Detroit Tigers). The Kats have had 69 all-time selections in the MLB Draft, including 25 draftees since 2014.Â
Arguably the most decorated player in Bearkat history, Janek won the Buster Posey Award in June as the top catcher in the country and was named a first-team all-American by four of the five consensus media outlets in college baseball. He was also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.Â
He threw out 16 of 31 attempted base stealers on the year on his way to also being named the CUSA Defensive Player of the Year. At the plate, he turned his best year as a Bearkat with a .368/.480/.714 slash line and totaled 17 home runs, 15 doubles, five triples and 58 RBI. In 166 career games a Kat he has racked up 205 hits, including 36 doubles, six home runs, 37 home runs and 156 RBI.
