Cayden Wallace showed fans in 2023 that he can become a well-rounded, true third-baseman at the next level. His power and approach were great for High-A Quad Cities, but he hit a bit of a wall after a promotion to AA Northwest Arkansas. He looked like he was starting to adjust when the season ended, and should start there once again next season.

Season Stats:

2022 (Low-A): .294/.369/.468, 9.8% BB%, 18.0% K%, 131 wRC+

2023 (High-A): .261/.341/.431, 9.8% BB%, 22.0% K%, 116 wRC+

2023 (AA): .236/.300/.362, 8.6% BB%, 16.4% K%, 75 wRC+

Wallace was one of the few bright spots among Kansas City’s minor league hitters to open the 2023 season. He led the Midwest League in RBI for much of the year before eventually being promoted to Northwest Arkansas. Entering the season, there were questions about whether Wallace could truly stick at third base long-term. If not, a move to the corner outfield could be in the cards for him. In response, he played excellent defense at the hot corner and seems to have quieted any talk about him moving elsewhere.

At the plate, Wallace showed a good approach, taking walks at an okay rate and limiting strikeouts. His power was good, but not great, and his overall contact ability left a bit to be desired. The best way to describe Wallace is well-rounded. He does everything somewhat well but doesn’t truly stand out in any one aspect of his game. That could change as he gets more time under his belt. He’s still just 22 years old and was more than 3 years younger than the league average for AA last season.

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 45/50

Game Power: 45/55

Raw Power: 50/55

Speed: 50/50

Glove: 50/50

Arm: 55/55

Best Case Scenario:

The best-case scenario for Cayden Wallace relies entirely on his power development. He does enough well already, which gives him a safe floor as a slightly below-average everyday third baseman. At still just 22 years old, there’s room for the power to develop further which would raise that ceiling. I think the best case for Wallace is likely something close to Jake Lamb and his early career with the Diamondbacks. At age 25, Lamb was worth 3.7 fWAR. That season, he slashed .249/.332/.509 with 29 home runs.

Worst Case Scenario:

The worst-case scenario for Wallace is what we saw for the Naturals in 2023. If the power can’t develop enough, Wallace doesn’t have a strong enough hit tool to carry him at the plate. This is especially true as a third baseman. Wallace plays good defense but that defensive value wouldn’t be enough to make him worthy of an everyday role without some notable power output.