WSU's Ryan Walker and OSU's Nick Madrigal Make Top WCL Prospects Lists.

Four Knights Named to Baseball America and Perfect Game Lists

Pitcher Ryan Walker and infielder Nick Madrigal (pictured) of the Corvallis Knights made Baseball America magazine's annual list of the top-10 pro prospects in the West Coast League. Walker was ranked seventh, Madrigal eighth.

A rising sophomore right-hander at Washington State, from Arlington, Wash., Walker was 3-2 with one save and a 4.17 ERA in eight games. He had 33 strikeouts in 32.1 innings, and earned a save in the WCL All-Star Game.

Baseball America's evaluation of Walker read as follows:

"This 6-foot-1 side-arming righty does not have the amateur pedigree as some of the players ranked higher on this list, but he performed well as a true freshman for Washington State. Walker, an in-state native of Arlington, Wash., went 1-1, 2.73 with 50 strikeouts in 56 innings of work, mostly out of the bullpen.

"He followed that up with a solid summer with the Corvallis Knights, going 4-2, 3.89 in 34 2/3 innings. Walker has a live arm that sits between 88-94 mph with room to add strength to his frame. His slider ranges 79-84 with good bite, though it can become sweepy at times.

"He also mixes in a changeup with good separation from his fastball, but it's still developing and he lacks command of the pitch. Walker creates nice deception with his low-angle delivery, but will need to continue to develop his changeup if he wants to make it as a starter."

An incoming freshman at Oregon State, Madrigal hit .303 with 20 RBIs in 44 games after joining the Knights following his senior year at Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, Calif. He played shortstop, second base and center field and led the Knights in hits (54) and runs (35), and set a WCL and team record with 40 stolen bases.

"Drafted by the Indians in the 17th round in June, this incoming Beavers middle infielder packed his bags for Corvallis early this summer and wreaked havoc on the base paths.

"Undersized at 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds, Madrigal followed up an All-American season at Elk Grove (Calif.) High with a WCL record 40 stolen bases and batted .303/.342/.376 in 178 at-bats. While his arm strength and bat are light, he has very good hands up the middle with quarterback-like instincts defensively."

Alum pitcher Justin Calomeni, a rising junior at Cal Poly who played at Bellingham this past summer after pitching for the Knights in 2014, was ranked ninth.

"Calomeni came in as a freshman at Cal Poly and started 15 games, bouncing between the Saturday and Sunday roles. He went 8-2, 3.68 on a Mustangs team that won 47 games and hosted a regional.

"But his performance dipped as a sophomore, as he spent half the spring in the bullpen. Calomeni's stock may be back on the rise heading into his draft year following a strong summer with Bellingham. He went 4-1, 2.17 with 29 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings.

"The 6-foot-3, 210-pound righthander has three quality pitches in an 89-94 mph fastball with good downhill tilt, a power slider that ranges between 80-83 and a changeup that has some nice sinking action. His command of his secondary pitches need improvement, however."

To review the complete Baseball America top ten list, click here.

Madrigal, Walker, Calomeni, Knights' middle infielder Clay Fisher and right-handed pitcher Slater Lee were named to Perfect Game USA's list of the West Coast League's top 30 pro prospects.

Madrigal was ranked fifth and Walker 11th. And Calomeni of the Bells seventh.

Fisher, a sophomore-to-be shortstop at UC Santa Barbara, was ranked No. 29. He hit .230 (35-152) in 40 games, with no homers, 14 RBIs and 18 stolen bases and played outstanding defense.

A junior-to-be right-handed pitcher from Cal Poly, Lee was ranked No. 30. He was 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA in nine games, with one shutout and 37 strikeouts in 45.2 innings. He was honorable-mention all-WCL, was named co-WCL Player of the Week for June 6-12 and started the 2015 WCL All-Star Game.