WALKER GOURLEY
6/28/91; '09 13th; Goldsboro, NC (HS)
R/R; 6-0, 180
| Level |
BA |
OBP |
SA |
AB |
2B |
3B |
HR |
BB |
K |
SB |
CS |
| 2009 R |
.220 |
.310 |
.260 |
50 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
11 |
3 |
1 |
Baseball America rated Gourley as the 18th best prospect in
North Carolina, in a very strong year for the state. He hit .314 and
.407 his first two years. As a senior he hit .477 with four
HRs in 88 ABs. He holds school career records for OBP (.504) and steals
(57). He seems to have been a leadoff hitter, although he did hit eight
HRs as a junior. According to BA, he doesn't have the speed for
the middle infield and should move to third or catcher. He had
a commitment to East Carolina, where the recruiting announcement noted
that he can play anywhere in the infield or behind the plate. He won't
be doing it at East Carolina, though, as he signed with the Pirates at the beginning of July. He got off to a slow start in pro ball, getting just two hits in his first 24 at-bats, and then injured his ankle just as he was starting to hit. He came back in late August for three games. In his last nine games, including six before the injury, he hit .346. He played two-thirds of his games in the field at third, the rest at short. Where he opens next year may depend on how he does in fall instructionals and in spring training.
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