Walker reflects on long journey -- and what comes next

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BALTIMORE -- Friday night’s series opener against the Orioles marked a homecoming of sorts for D-backs first baseman Christian Walker, who was selected by Baltimore in the fourth round of the 2012 Draft out of the University of South Carolina.

Walker worked his way up the system relatively quickly and was called up to the big leagues on Sept. 17, 2014. At the time, the Orioles were in the midst of locking up the American League East title for the first time since 1997, and Camden Yards was packed to the hilt.

“It was like maybe a day or two after they clinched, I got called up,” Walker said. “Played a little bit, but just a really happy time. My family was only a couple of hours away, so I had a big group of family here for the debut.”

Walker considered himself fortunate to be around veterans on that team such as Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy, Nick Markakis and Chris Davis.

But it was the presence of Davis, then entrenched as the Orioles’ everyday first baseman, that would eventually lead to Walker departing the organization.

The end came early in Spring Training in 2017, when the Orioles designated Walker for assignment. He was claimed off waivers four days later by the Braves. The only problem was Atlanta had Freddie Freeman at first, so Walker was put on waivers 10 days later in an attempt by the Braves to send him to the Minor Leagues and keep him in the organization.

Instead, Walker was claimed by the Reds, who had a guy by the name of Joey Votto playing first base. Twenty-two days later, when the Reds tried to send Walker to the Minors, he was instead claimed by the D-backs -- who had Paul Goldschmidt at first base.

It was, to say the least, a tough stretch for Walker. He was 26 years old with only 31 big league plate appearances to his name at the time.

“It's humbling, no doubt,” Walker said. “It's like, you say your whole life you’re going to be in the big leagues, and then you get close and you start feeling like you’re not going to get another chance.”

Walker played sparingly for the D-backs in 2017 and ‘18 before finally getting his big break in ‘19 after Arizona general manager Mike Hazen decided to trade Goldschmidt to the Cardinals.

Walker didn’t waste the opportunity, quickly establishing himself as the D-backs’ starting first baseman. He ended up becoming a leader in the clubhouse and the guy who could mash the ball but struggled in the field -- until winning a consecutive Gold Glove Awards in 2022 and ‘23.

The long road Walker had to travel could have made him bitter and angry, and while he does admit to some frustration back then, he also has a clear perspective on it.

“I think there was a reason,” Walker said. “I was not the player back then that I am now. I was much more raw, not as calculated. I was a really good hitter, but I didn’t know why or how; it was just something I was always good at. I certainly wasn’t the defender I am now. I was good enough to get people’s attention and get on their radar, I just don’t think I was ready back then.”

It’s that kind of mature attitude that has made Walker the guy a lot of his teammates will go to for guidance, advice and perspective. It’s why his manager, Torey Lovullo, says it’s been an honor to manage Walker.

How much longer Lovullo will get that honor remains to be seen with Walker set to be a free agent at the end of this season.

While the thought of getting to choose his next destination after having so much dictated for him could be appealing, Walker said he’s focused only on trying to find a way to get the D-backs back to the World Series.

“It's in the distance,” Walker said. “But at the moment, it's easy to focus on winning.”