MESA, Ariz. – While Shohei Ohtani was authoring the greatest single-game performance in MLB history a state away, Walker Janek turned in one of the best offensive outings the Arizona Fall League has seen in the past decade.
Just over 24 hours after hammering a three-run homer, the Astros’ No. 4 prospect upped the ante by walloping a first-inning grand slam to set the tone en route to a seven-RBI performance during Scottsdale’s 11-0 win over Mesa at Sloan Park on Friday night.
“I’ve just been seeing it well,” Janek said. “Got a good piece of it, didn’t miss it.”
Janek hasn’t missed much of anything during his time in the Fall League. While it doesn’t officially count, his 104.1 mph, 404-foot tater marks his first grand slam in pro ball. Through six contests for Scottsdale, he leads the circuit with a whopping 16 RBIs, all while slashing .360/.407/.840. Of his nine hits, six have gone for extra bases.
The 23-year-old also mashed his way into the record books, collecting the league’s first seven-RBI performance since Brandon Wagner (Yankees) did so for Surprise on Sept. 29, 2019. It was Janek’s first contest with seven RBIs since the WAC Tournament during his sophomore year for Sam Houston in ‘23.
But for all of the offensive accolades, it was the shutout Janek was most excited to discuss postgame. He got to work in tandem with fellow Astros prospect Anderson Brito (No. 7) to start the contest. While many pitcher/catcher batteries in the Fall League are still getting acclimated, the two are no strangers to one another, having worked together four times with High-A Asheville during the regular season.
So what makes Brito so nasty and difficult to square up?
“The fact that he can throw anything in any count,” Janek said. “Back there, you have unlimited options of what you could do. One of the best pitchers I’ve ever caught. He’s got the grossest stuff, really good.”
Brito used that gross stuff to turn in the most dominant performance on the mound of the early Fall League campaign — he got 11 whiffs on 19 swings and recorded three no-hit frames with eight strikeouts, including seven consecutive batters set down by the K. That run started after he walked the first two batters of the game for Mesa, which prompted a mound visit from Janek.
“Kind of just knowing the game,” the catcher said of his decision to hit an early pause. “I’ve been doing it for a long time. A lot of coaches helped me with it, and then I mean, just knowing the pitcher, knowing when not to go out there, calm them down, slow them down, do whatever.”
Despite being widely regarded as one of the premier defensive backstops in all of the Minors, the Fall League still had a new wrinkle in store for him: the ABS challenge system, which is MLB-bound in 2026. He’s adjusting to having to smack his helmet to challenge a call, but Janek successfully used that option to get Brito a first-pitch strike during the third inning.
Catching a variety of arms from other orgs during the Fall League? Another challenge accepted. Having a similar task put forth while in the batter’s box? Bring that on too.
“Just treat every at-bat the same, treat every arm the same,” Janek said. “Guys are all here for a reason, everyone’s good.”
Janek has been more than good in his own right. The Astros have been excited about his all-around ability to impact the game since they nabbed him in the first round of the 2024 Draft, watching him log a 30.8 percent caught-stealing rate this year for Asheville, while swiping his own 30 bags and tying for the High-A lead among catchers with 58 wRC, per Fangraphs.
“The majority of games are coach-called in college, so last season was the first time I’ve called pitches in a while since the Cape Cod League,” Janek said during Fall League Media Day on Oct. 3. “I like it way better. I wish I always could have done it. I just like to be in control of the game.”
There’s liking to be in control, and then there’s Janek’s latest performance in which he just took it.
