Beavers garnered comparisons to Christian Yelich at Cal, where the toolsy outfielder was a top performer before Baltimore snagged him in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2022 Draft and signed him for a slightly below slot 2.2 million. His two-plus years in pro ball showed Beavers’ ability to do a little bit of everything -- he’s paired 26 homers with 64 steals -- while revealing he might not have one truly elite tool, and how his production can come more in the aggregate than in dominant performances. His good-not-great 2024, which Beavers finished at Triple-A, exemplified this. He hit 15 homers and stole 31 bases at Double-A, but also struggled concerningly with higher velocity and slashed .241/.343/.413.
Beavers was more power than speed in college, with a swing evaluators knew needed tweaking in pro ball. But as a pro, it’s his speed and on-base ability that’s kept him productive as he worked through those swing adjustments seeking more slug. The power is just average now, though Beavers’ plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills allow him to barrel pitches with enough regularity that he still has a chance to be an average hitter. The speed remains above-average and Beavers improved on the basepaths in ‘24, taking fewer risks and picking his spots to steal bases with greater efficiency (31-for-34 in attempts).
Defensively, he’s capable of playing all three outfield spots but is likely suited for left or right long-term, where his near-plus arm will play. Committing to a corner, though, will put more pressure on Beavers’ bat, which remains streaky and prone to slumps. That’s the tool that will determine whether he develops into an everyday player or a versatile depth piece with a varied skill set.
As a toolsy college outfielder with plus power upside, Beavers fit the profile the Orioles have loved to draft under Mike Elias. Baltimore plucked him out of Cal in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2022 Draft, signing the Golden Bear for $2.2 million. Beavers performed well during a brief pro debut and then put together a solid all-around first full season in 2023, slashing .288/.383/.467 with 11 homers and 27 steals across two levels and finishing up at Double-A Bowie. Of the eight Baltimore farmhands to steal at least 25 bases last year, only one collected at least 10 homers and 30 doubles. That was Beavers.
At Cal, Beavers was a guy who could do a little bit of everything but was definitely more power than speed, with 35 homers over his final two collegiate seasons. But it’s the speed that’s shown up first in pro ball. He’s only gone deep 11 times in his first 142 games, but he’s stolen 33 bags -- nearly twice his entire collegiate output. And while Beavers could benefit from taking slightly fewer chances on the basepaths, his speed and on-base skills have enabled him to remain productive even when he’s struggled to tap into his power for long stretches.
A polished left-handed hitter, Beavers generated Christian Yelich comps in college, and when things are going right, can look like a five-tool talent with easy plus raw power and a willingness to draw walks that offsets some of his swing-and-miss. But he’s always been streaky and can experience timing issues that lead to slumps. Those issues might be exacerbated against better pitching at the higher levels, where better consistency will be a goal. Still, there are aspects to his game -- such as above-average speed and a near-plus arm that could keep him in center field -- that don’t slump. That well-rounded skill set should help Beavers rise quickly through the Orioles system.
The Orioles under general manager and executive vice president Mike Elias love to draft toolsy up-the-middle players, especially outfielders, and especially from the college ranks. In that vein, Beavers very much fit the Orioles mold when they plucked him out of Cal in the Competitive Balance Round A in the 2022 Draft, signing him for $2.2 million. The left-handed hitter had hit 35 home runs over his last two seasons at Cal, and though Beavers didn’t hit for power during his brief 2022 debut he still performed well, batting .322/.438/.460 and walking nearly as much as he struck out over 23 games and reaching High-A Aberdeen down the stretch.
A polished left-handed bat who makes good swing decisions and consistent hard contact in the strike zone, Beavers reminded some scouts of Christian Yelich in college. But he was streaky at times and did experience some timing issues, struggling a bit with inside pitches during one summer in the Cape Cod League, in particular. But when things are going right, Beavers looks like the proverbial five-tool player, with easy plus raw power and a willingness to draw walks that offsets some of his swing-and-miss.
Beavers is an above-average runner despite his size (6-foot-4), with good enough range and instincts to possibly stay in center field long-term. If not, his near-plus arm would work just fine in right. He looks like a rising star in a system suddenly flush with talented outfielders.
Beavers entered the spring as one of the more intriguing toolsy college outfielders in northern California, along with Stanford’s Brock Jones. The left-handed hitter hit 18 homers and slugged .630 at Cal in 2021, then shook off a rough summer in the Cape Cod League and USA Baseball to hit 17 more home runs in 2022. Often mentioned as a potential first-round pick, there were concerns about holes in his swing, although he got to the Orioles in the Competitive Balance Round A, and he signed for $2.2 million.
When Beavers is locked in, he’s the proverbial five-tool player. During spring 2021, he reminded some scouts of Christian Yelich as a left-handed hitter who makes good swing decisions and hard contact in the strike zone. But using a bit of an unorthodox setup with lower-hand positioning, he does have some timing issues and the aforementioned holes in his swing. He was tied up inside at times over the summer. He was streaky in the fall, though he did show some flashes of brilliance, especially getting to his easily plus raw power. That continued in the spring, but he does offset the swing-and-miss with a willingness to draw walks.
While he’s big at 6-foot-4, Beavers is an above-average runner who has the chance to stay in center field, though his near-plus arm would work just fine in right. He hadn’t received a ton of instruction in terms of making adjustments mechanically at the plate, something the Orioles will surely do to help him tap into all of his tools at the next level.
The college ranks in northern California have a pair of toolsy, left-handed-hitting outfielders, both with considerable upside. One is Brock Jones from Stanford and the other is Beavers, who hit 18 homers and slugged .630 at Cal in 2021. A rough summer in the Cape Cod League and with USA Baseball last summer drew concerns, but the power was back on display this spring.
When Beavers is locked in, he’s the proverbial five-tool player. During the spring of 2021, he reminded some scouts of Christian Yelich as a left-handed hitter who makes good swing decisions and hard contact in the strike zone. But using a bit of an unorthodox setup with lower hand positioning, he does have some timing issues and there are some holes in his swing. He was tied up inside at times over the summer. He was streaky in the fall, though he did show some flashes of brilliance, especially getting to his easily plus raw power, something that continued this spring.
While he’s big at 6-foot-4, Beavers is an above-average runner who has the chance to stay in center field, though his near-plus arm would work just fine in right. He hasn’t received a ton of instruction in terms of making adjustments mechanically at the plate, but there will be teams willing to look past the hit risk and bank on helping him tap into all of his tools at the next level.
These run values are leveraged, meaning the base/out situation at the time of the event does impact the run value (thus introducing context outside the batter's own contribution).
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's batted balls would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
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6
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6
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6
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6
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6
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4
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4
4
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4
4
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6
4
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6
6
5
5
4
4
6
6
5
6
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5
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4
4
6
4
4
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's batted balls would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift: three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about how positioning is defined here
