Each season, the Major League Baseball Players Association selects one player from each MLB team to receive the Heart and Hustle Award. It is the only major award that is voted on by the players in the league. South Carolina baseball legend Christian Walker is the honoree of the 2024 Heart and Hustle Award for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Walker has been a fixture in the middle of the D-Backs' lineup and at first base in recent years. Last season, the two-time College World Series champion with the Gamecocks led the Diamondbacks to their first World Series appearance at the Big League level since 2001, and in 2024, Walker has been even better.
Despite being in a bit of a slump since the break around the All-Star Game (he was a major snub from the Midsummer Classic), Walker was named the first baseman on the MLB Team of the Month thanks to a strong start to July.
Walker is on pace to match his career-best numbers in home runs, RBI, hits batting average, and on-base percentage, and he is in line to set new top marks in runs scored and walks. The former Gamecock is still an elite defensive first baseman, as well, and he is the favorite to win his third-straight Gold Glove at the position when the award is announced this fall.
Christian Walker is pushing his way into the discussion as the greatest Major League Baseball player from the South Carolina baseball program. Players like Justin Smoak, Mookie Wilson, Brian Roberts, Adam Everett, Whit Merrifield, Dave Hollins, Steve Pearce, and Jackie Bradley, Jr. are among the all-time greats, and current pitchers like Jordan Montgomery and Clarke Schmidt have shown enough to think they could earn their way into the conversation, as well.
Walker is currently dealing with an oblique injury but should return to action soon.