Donovan R. Walton (born May 25, 1994) is an American professional baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Walton was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 5th round of the 2016 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut for the Mariners in 2019.
| Donovan Walton | |
|---|---|
| San Francisco Giants – No. 37 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: (1994-05-25) May 25, 1994 (age 28) Dallas, Texas | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 10, 2019, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) | |
| Batting average | .179 |
| Home runs | 3 |
| Runs batted in | 20 |
| Teams | |
| |
Walton attended Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[1] He was drafted by the New York Mets in the 36th round of the 2012 MLB draft, but did not sign.[2]
Walton attended Oklahoma State University, where he played college baseball for the Cowboys, playing primarily shortstop, along with a number of games at second base.[3][4] In 2014 and 2015 he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox,[5][6] where he was named East Division MVP of the league's all-star game and co-MVP of the playoffs in Yarmouth-Dennis' 2015 championship season.[7][8]
Walton was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 23rd round of the 2015 MLB draft, but did not sign and instead returned to OSU for his senior season.[4] In 2016 in his senior season he batted .337/.428/.447. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 5th round of the 2016 MLB draft, after being noted for his plus glove and his ability to get on base, and signed with them.[9][10]
Walton played for the Low-A Everett AquaSox in 2016, hitting .281/.361/.421 with five home runs and 23 RBIs in 178 at bats as he played shortstop and second base.[11] He was named a 2016 Northwest League mid-season All Star.[12] He split the 2017 season between the AZL Mariners and the High-A Modesto Nuts, hitting a combined .271/.350/.388 with four home runs and 29 RBIs in 258 at bats.[13] He was named a 2017 MiLB organization All Star.[12]
In 2018, he split the season between Modesto and the AA Arkansas Travelers, hitting a combined .273/.365/.381 with four home runs and 41 RBIs in 425 at bats, while primarily playing second base.[13] He was named a 2018 California League Northern Division mid-season All Star, and a 2018 MiLB organization All Star.[12]
He returned to Arkansas for the 2019 minor league season, hitting .300/.390/.427 with 72 runs (7th in the Texas League), 11 home runs, 50 RBIs, 10 hit by pitch (3rd), 63 walks (2nd), and 75 strikeouts in 490 at bats, while primarily playing shortstop (where he had a .990 fielding percentage).[14][15][13] He was awarded a 2019 MiLB Gold Glove, earned the Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove Award at shortstop, named a Texas League mid-season All Star, and named an MiLB organization All Star.[12]
The Mariners selected Walton's contract and promoted him to the major leagues on September 10, 2019.[16][17][18] He made his major league debut that night as a defensive replacement versus the Cincinnati Reds.[19] In 2020 in the major leagues, Walton recorded 2 hits in 13 at bats across 5 games.[20]
On May 31, 2021, Walton hit his first career home run, a three-run shot off of James Kaprielian of the Oakland Athletics. In 2021 with AAA Tacoma he batted .304/.395/.519 with a career-high 13 home runs in 283 at bats.[13]
In 2022 with AAA Tacoma he batted .294/.368/.510 in 51 at bats.[13]
On May 11, 2022, the Mariners traded Walton to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Prelander Berroa. [21] He was assigned to the Giants' AAA affiliate in Sacramento [22] [23] and split time between the Giants and River Cats. [24] [25]
Walton’s father, Rob also played baseball at Oklahoma State prior to a minor league career with the Baltimore Orioles, eventually returning to OSU to serve as the pitching coach. His brother, Davis played football at the University of Tulsa.