Phillies Select TayShaun Walton in the 4th Round of the 2023 Draft

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With their 4th round pick the Phillies select TayShaun Walton a high school outfielder from IMG Academy in Florida. It is the third high school hitter in a row for the Phillies.

Walton is a physically mature hitter who can hit the ball hard, but has not yet lifted it for power. Reportedly has a good approach at the plate so it will be up to the Phillies to add some loft to his swing. He will need to hit because he appears to be headed for left field because he lacks the foot speed for center and the arm for right field.

The Phillies have taken hit over power high schoolers before, but not quite one with Walton’s raw power. As for getting guys to get balls in the air, the system is more a work in progress with mixed results from the Johan Rojas, Carlos De La Cruz, Ethan Wilson, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. group of power hitters, and even less success with the Justin Crawford. However, in the 4th round Walton offers a lot of offensive upside if they can unlock the power.