Several evaluators draw parallels between Beck and former Mississippi State star Hunter Renfroe. Both were physical, tooled-up right fielders in the Southeastern Conference, and both were drafted by the Red Sox as raw high schoolers (Beck in the 14th round in 2019). Renfroe slugged his way into the first round after improving in his third college season, and Beck is doing the same this spring.
Beck uses his bat speed, strength and the leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame to create well above-average raw power to all fields. He gets too aggressive at the plate, however, and he struggled to make contact and drive the ball with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer. Developing more discipline and making adjustments against breaking balls and changeups has helped him make the leap Renfroe did.
Beck runs very well for his size, displaying solid speed and the ability to steal an occasional base. His plus arm strength adds to his profile in right field, where he's a better-than-average defender. Though he doesn't play center field for the Volunteers because they have Drew Gilbert, he did see some action in center on the Cape and may merit a look there in pro ball.
Beck hit 33 homers combined as a sophomore and junior at Tennessee, a big reason why his name was popping up in first-round conversations as the 2022 Draft approached. Some concerns about his hit tool may have cooled some teams, and that worked to the Rockies’ advantage as they were able to scoop him up in the Competitive Balance Round A and sign him for just over slot ($2.2 million). He showed off an intriguing combination of athleticism and pop in his first full year, reaching Double-A and finishing with a 20-20 campaign.
While there are still some questions about swing-and-miss, it’s pretty clear that Beck is going to be able to keep tapping into his considerable raw power. He finished the 2023 season with 61 extra-base hits and was tied for third in the organization with his 134 wRC+. He has good bat speed and uses his leveraged swing to punish mistakes and drive the ball to all fields. He will rack up a fair share of strikeouts, but he’s worked to offset that by drawing more walks as a pro.
Beck runs better than one might expect given his big 6-foot-3 frame, and isn’t afraid to use that speed on the basepaths. The Rockies have been pleasantly surprised how good he’s been defensively while seeing time in all three outfield spots. He might still best be suited as a super-athletic right-field type who puts up big run production numbers annually.
Beck established his power-hitter bona fides when he belted 15 homers as a sophomore at Tennessee. He upped that to 18 in his junior year, which helped land him in many first-round conversations as the Draft approached. Some swing-and-miss concerns might have backed some teams off, and the Rockies were thrilled the Volunteers outfielder was available when their Competitive Balance Round A pick came around, They signed him for $2.2 million and he had a solid pro debut between the Arizona Complex League and Single-A California League.
Beck has pretty much been as advertised since joining the Rockies organization. The right-handed hitter’s power is very real, with at least raw pop that he knows how to get to. He’s great at recognizing mistakes and doing damage with them, and he can drive the ball to all fields with good bat speed and leverage. While he’s more than willing to draw walks, he can get overaggressive, leading to legitimate worries about him making consistent contact. The Rockies have already worked with him to refine his approach and make adjustments based on how pitchers are attacking him, thinking through a team plate appearance and not just winding up and taking three shots on goal.
Beck runs well, especially for his size, with some thinking he could even potentially play center field. He’s more likely going to stick in a corner, where his arm strength profiles well. The Rockies think he can be an excellent defender if he brings the passion he has for hitting to that side of his game, with a finished product being a power-hitting corner outfielder who fits in the middle of a lineup one day.
As the Draft approached, several evaluators drew parallels between Beck and former Mississippi State star Hunter Renfroe. Both were physical, tooled-up right fielders in the Southeastern Conference, and both were drafted by the Red Sox as raw high schoolers (Beck in the 14th round in 2019). Renfroe slugged his way into the first round after improving in his third college season, and Beck came close to doing the same this past spring, landing in the Competitive Balance Round A and signing for a slightly-above-slot bonus of $2.2 million.
Beck uses his bat speed, strength and the leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame to create well-above-average raw power to all fields. He gets too aggressive at the plate, however, and he struggled to make contact and drive the ball with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer. Developing more discipline and making adjustments against breaking balls and changeups helped him make the leap Renfroe did.
Beck runs very well for his size, displaying solid speed and the ability to steal an occasional base. His plus arm strength adds to his profile in right field, where he's a better-than-average defender. Although he didn’t play center field for the Volunteers because they had fellow Draft prospect Drew Gilbert, he did see some action in center on the Cape and may merit a look there in pro ball.
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 home runs 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.
Standard
Year
HR
2024
3
3
4
3
2
4
4
3
2
2
2
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
4
3
4
Player
3
3
4
3
2
4
4
3
2
2
2
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
4
3
4
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs 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
