FORT WORTH, Texas — Gregory-Portland 2021 grad Walker Janek was selected No. 28 overall in the Major League Baseball Draft by the Houston Astros on Sunday. The 6-foot catcher just finished his junior year at Sam Houston State University.
“Astros were always in the back of my mind, and my whole family loves the Astros," Janek said. "Big inspiration was my grandpa (William) loved the Astros. He died a couple years ago, so to make this dream come true kind of pays to him."
Less than a month ago, Janek was named the Buster Posey Award National Collegiate Catcher of the Year. During his junior season he hit 17 home runs, 15 doubles and 5 triples. On defense he threw out 16 of 31 (51.2 percent) attempted base stealers.
“We think that this is a guy who is going to provide value offensively, defensively and on the base running front as well," Cam Pendino, Astros Director of Scouting, said. "He stole 13 bases this year for the Bearkats. We think this is a guy who is going to impact almost every facet of the game from behind the plate. We think it’s a really exciting outcome to get at 28.”
KRIS 6 Sports caught up with Janek before the draft, and off camera he shared that the Astros would be his favorite team to play for.
“Actually I grew up in Corpus Christi, so I’ve always been an Astros fan or Hooks fan," Janek said. "To see that come true now is pretty surreal.”
The Houston organization has not selected a Coastal Bend baseball player in a long time. It is believed that John Rodriguez, a Miller High School grad, was the last in the 1994 draft.
