Another Walker On The Path To Play D-I Baseball

MILTON, Ma. - With two older brothers playing Division I baseball, the aspirations to follow in their footsteps is a no-brainer for Charlie Walker.

The prospects of making it happen improved greatly this summer.

“I went to a PBR event in July and got my first call from UMBC,” Walker said in reference to the University of Maryland Baltimore County. “In August, I went to the Future Games which is where every other school I’m talking to saw me.”

Fordham, Dayton, St. John’s, Maine, Merrimack, Xavier and New Jersey Institute of Technology are all D-I colleges that have talked with the 51st-rated 2022 in New England.

“I hit and pitched at the Future Games,” the Milton High School junior reflected. “I had a strong BP and a decent workout. I hit alright in the games, but it wasn’t my greatest. I also had one inning on the mound and made it count.”

To hear from schools afterward was a blessing for the fifth-ranked uncommitted 2022 right-handed pitcher in New England.

“It was amazing,” Walker said. “It’s been a dream of mine. After the Future Games I got the feeling I can really make this happen.”

Dennis Healy, PBR Massachusetts Director of Scouting, agrees.

“Charlie is a legit two-way player with upside on both the mound and at the plate,” Healy said. “The frame is physical and his skill set is very advanced. What I like best about him is that he likes to compete. There is no ‘scared’ in his game.” 

Walker impressed those looking at the event via live stream.

“Some liked me on the mound, some hitting and some both,” Walker related. “They like my pitchability and my velo getting to the upper-80s. They also liked my physicality and ability to hit for power as well as my size for a third baseman.”

Now 6-1 and 200 pounds, Walker has put on 20 pounds since a year ago.

“My numbers and velo have gotten better since then,” Walker noted. “My power is also better and I’m continuing to work on my athleticism.”

The hope is it ends up in an opportunity to pitch as well as play in the field at the next level.

“I like the idea of two-way consideration, but it’s not a deal breaker,” Walker pointed out. “However, if there’s an opportunity to do one-way and two-way, I’ll definitely take that (two-way).”

Walker credits his older siblings with helping in both aspects.

“Jake is a pitcher at URI and I threw with him a ton during quarantine,” Walker said. “He’s coached me up and given advice and helped me grow as a pitcher. Max is a catcher at UMass-Lowell. He’s given me advice with the recruiting process and with hitting as well.

“Seeing them play D-I baseball makes me want to do that,” Walker added. “I didn’t have contact with anyone until this year so it was all up in the air. But now with what happened this summer I have a range of schools as far as where I want to go.”

The New England area’s 13th-rated 2022 right-handed pitcher has had help from others as well as his brothers.

“My high school coach Brendon Morrissey has helped me since my freshman year grow a love for the game and has helped me improve,” Walker explained. “My travel coach, Dan Sullivan, has contacts with a ton of schools and has guided me through the process.

“My teammates with Nokona have also helped me grow competitively with the game and have a love for it. Playing with those kinds of players is really beneficial.”

A 3.0 student undecided on a college major, Walker is now looking forward to another PBR event in February before any decisions are made with his recruitment.

“I’m not very eager to make a decision right now,” Walker said. “I have the Procase in February so I’m training, eating and sleeping right trying to develop mentally, physically and skill-wise.

“I’d like to get it all over but I’m not going to rush it. I want to find the right fit with a competitive baseball school and a great team culture at a place I think is going to develop me.”