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Atlanta Braves select Tristan Beck

By Fred Owens

ST LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 19: A detail of a rosin bag is seen on the pitcher's mound prior to the St. Louis Cardinals hosting the Texas Rangers during Game One of the MLB World Series at Busch Stadium on October 19, 2011 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 19: A detail of a rosin bag is seen on the pitcher's mound prior to the St. Louis Cardinals hosting the Texas Rangers during Game One of the MLB World Series at Busch Stadium on October 19, 2011 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Draft day 2 and more pitchers for the Atlanta Braves as they select Tristan Beck.
Draft day 2 and more pitchers for the Atlanta Braves as they select Tristan Beck. /

The second day of the 2018 MLB rule four draft began  without the Atlanta Braves as their first pick would be in round four.

The Atlanta Braves forfeited their round three pick as part of the punishment for the GM scandal. They started round four with a great pitch:

Atlanta Braves Select Tristan  Beck RHP, Standford 6-foot-4 and 165 lbs.

BA Rank 31 

MLB Pipeline #35  Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

Tristan Beck graduated from Corona High School after a senior year where he posted a 7–1 record with a 0.65 ERA, striking out with 82 and walking 18 in 65 innings. The Brewers liked that and selected him in the late rounds but Beck wanted to pitch for Stanford.

The Cardinal were glad he did. In his freshman year Beck threw 83 innings in 14 starts posting a 2.48 ERA, 1.03 WHIP striking out 74 and walking 26.

Unfortunately Beck suffered a stress fracture in his back and missed the entire 2017 season. That didn’t strop the Yankees from selecting him in the 29th round but Beck chose to return to Standford instead.

Beck returned this season and once again made 14 starts for the Cardinal squad. After a year without baseball Beck wasn’t as sharp; his ERA climbed to 2.99 with a 1.22 WHIP, 66 strikeouts and 29 walks in 84 innings.

(Statistics courtesy The Baseball Cube)

After the successes of Kolby Allard the Braves clearly felt his back issue wasn’t a concern.

Pitching profile

Beck’s a pitchability pitcher not a strikeout pitcher, though he gets over eight in nine innings. He’s relies on command of his low 90s fastball (90-92 mph) backed up by a best in the draft changeup. A smart pitcher who thinks ahead of the batter, Beck creates some swing and miss by keeping hitters off-balance.  He’s shown a slider and a curve that are works in progress.

Beck’s size and long levers should create more zip on his heater as he focuses on baseball full-time

That’s a Wrap

Beck would have gone much sooner had the stress fracture not happened. The fact that he wasn’t a strikeout pitcher and their experience with Allard gave the Braves the confidence to select him in the fourth round.

Next: Julio has to leave?

Beck looks like a nice pickup at this stage of the draft.

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