According to the Houston Astros media guide, Chris Wallace grew up in the Houston area and attended the University of Houston. The Astros drafted him in the 16th round of the 2010 draft. He's never been considered much of a prospect, snagging the 30th place (according to Baseball America) in the organization going into 2012. Whenever you are drafted that late, the odds are against you of becoming a viable everyday player.
As a power-hitting catcher in the Houston system, Wallace produced at a decent .251/.330/.397 level in 2012, mainly at AA Corpus Christi. According to scouts, he strikes out too much, and his upside isn't high. As a result, he was passed on the Houston depth chart by catching prospect Carlos Perez and thus making him available. Still, Wallace looks like a good piece of a typical AL lineup, even if it's as a backup or twice-weekly role from the bench. He can also play a little first base, which would give Terry Francona even more flexibility on defense.
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