This prospect is turning heads in spring while managing challenges of diabetes

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- It was his sophomore year at Sam Houston State when catcher Walker Janek began to rapidly lose weight. He dropped about 25 pounds in a month and knew immediately something wasn’t right with his body. So what does any college student with a problem do?

He called his mother.

“I told her, 'I need to get checked out,'” he said.

Janek was originally told his weight loss was a product of severe exhaustion, but Janek knew better. Further testing revealed he had Type 1 diabetes and he was immediately put on insulin. He put on 10 pounds in a week. Still, the diagnosis threw him a curveball that he’s still learning to manage in his first Major League camp with the Astros.

That’s why Astros manager Joe Espada organized a Zoom meeting last month with Janek, Astros dietitian Geordan Stapleton, Astros Minor League pitcher Ramsey David and Sam Fuld, the former player who will transition into the role as the Phillies’ president of business operations in May. All of them have Type 1 diabetes.

“I think managing the disease, as I told [Janek], was as much a mental challenge as a physical challenge,” Fuld said. “It’s staying focused and motivated and knowing that you’ll have inevitable frustrations along the way, but to not let your blood sugar and Type 1 diabetes management affect your performance on the field.”

Janek, the Astros’ No. 5-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, was drafted by Houston after his junior year at Sam Houston State, so in many ways, he’s still learning about the disease. He wears an insulin pump while he’s on the field and has to be disciplined about his sleep while closely monitoring his diet.

“It’s been different, for sure,” Janek said. “Overall, I think it's made me a better athlete. I mean, I eat a lot better now. I also have a lot of resources here with the dietitian being Type 1 and a couple other people in the organization being Type 1, so there's a lot of advantages being with the Astros, for sure.”

Stapleton was diagnosed when she was 12 years old and went to diabetes camps as a teenager, giving her a headstart on managing the disease as an adult. She’s been a huge resource for Janek this spring. The Astros have registered dietitians at every level of the Minor Leagues, including Double-A Corpus Christi. That’s where Janek will likely begin the season (it’s also his hometown).

“This spring, it’s been diabetes education 101 and trying to make sure he understands the foundations and, honestly, the basic things just make all the difference,” Stapleton said. “We’re working, but we still have a lot of things to iron out.”

The insulin pump helps regulate Janek’s blood sugar during games, but there are backup plans, as well. He’ll have some quick glucose sources available to him in the dugout like Gatorade, applesauce and fruit snacks. Fuld said popping in some gum during a mound visit could be a “hack” to help manage the disease.

“The only way to manage it is to be pretty disciplined,” Fuld said. “Looking back, I do think it helped me in many ways. I know other athletes who have achieved success on the field or on the court or whatever have pointed to the same thing. I got the sense that Walker is pretty disciplined and mature as it is, but I think this just sort of raised his focus to another level, and I think it absolutely can help him sort of stay on the rails. This is a very challenging game, and sometimes the discipline can sort of wane when you're dealing with a lot of stress.”

Janek, 23, has turned heads in his first Major League camp. The Astros already knew about his elite defensive skills -- the pop time and arm strength that allowed him to throw out 31 percent of basestealers (57 of 128) last year -- and the bat is coming on. He was 5-for-11 with two doubles, five RBIs and four steals in Grapefruit League play before he was reassigned to Minor League camp Monday afternoon following Houston's 10-3 win against the Cardinals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Janek spent all of last season at High-A Asheville and hit .263/.333/.433 with 12 homers, 46 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.

Bigger things are ahead.

“Last spring, I didn't do as much as I did this spring ramping up into the season," Janek said. "And I think this past offseason, I've taken it more seriously, got a better routine, figured some things out on and off the field when it comes to baseball. I locked in a little bit more and felt a lot better coming into Spring Training, and it showed for me.”