Tristan Beck RHP. DOB: 6/24/1996. 6'4", 165 lbs. Drafted 2018 Round 4(Braves)
2022(AA): 0-1, 2.57, 14.0 IP, 12.21 K/9, 4.50 BB/9, 2.00 GB/FB.
2022(AAA): 5-8, 5.64, 97.1 IP, 8.97 K/9, 2.68 BB/9, 1.29 GB/FB.
Tristan Beck has been on my radar for a long time. He was a highly rated HS prospect out of Corona(CA) HS who played college ball at Stanford. After a strong freshman season, he missed all of his sophomore campaign with a back injury, but came back strong as a junior in his draft year. He struggled a bit out of the gate as a pro and FZ somehow managed to pry him away from the Braves and unload Mark Melancon and the remainder of his contract in the same trade.
I saw him pitch for A+ San Jose in San Bernardino after the trade. He showed a low-mid 90's FB an 11-5 curveball and an occasional changeup. I have long since forgotten his line from that game. Joey Bart was his catcher that evening.
After missing 2020 to the pandemic, he played at 3 levels in 2021 with mixed results. 2022 was solid if unspectacular. It was apparently good enough for FZ to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
While he is tall and lanky, his frame has filled out to at least 30 lbs over his listed weight. The Giants pitching is much deeper now than a year ago and Beck is not particularly high on the depth chart, but there is a non-zero chance we see him make his MLB debut in 2023.
At 27 yo (in June), isn't it now or never for Beck?
ReplyDeleteThe Giants definitely should test him – soon – because the 40-man slot is too valuable to waste. And where would he get the best advice on using his talent? With the major league coaches. If he flounders, he can probably be passed through waivers and SF can continue to work with him.
However bad it is, the fact that the Giants lost so much from Rule 5 is actually a good sign: the system has a lot of talent. Not much from the pre-Zaidi days – the Giants have not drafted well since the successes of the first decade this century – and other than Luciano, Matos, Pomares, and maybe Ramos there's little to rave about. And it's still possible that the first three could end up like the 4th and pre-Zaidi becomes Webb and maybe Villar: the rest are the Ten Little Indians.
I am still reeling over the loss of Frankie Tostado. Best name in the system.
DeleteWould like to see Beck get a shot at the majors. Wonder what Doc thought losing 8 players to the minor league rule 5. That's a lot of players. Luciano is still highly regarded ranked #18 in baseball prospectus top 100 I believe. Hoping Matos bounces back. As for drafting before FZ, yeah it wasn't that good but It produced #2 round pick Bryon Reynolds involved in the I'll advised trade for 1 year of Cutch that I never understood. Let's not forget about Joey Bart and Sean Hjellie drafted by Evans, but the jury is still out on those player's
ReplyDeleteGood points.
DeleteReynolds and Wheeler were considered but it's kinda crediting the regime that drafted them AND then traded them away. It was more a consideration of their value to the team: McCutchen and Beltrán don't make the list of valued Giants.
Bart is valuable and will be more so but even 10 WAR career-wise? Let's hope so. Same for Hjelle.
Panik, Duffy, Tyler Rogers, & Slater were also 2nd decade draftees but not game changers, although Joe had a hand in the Giants 2014 success.
The GM/VP/Prez gets the credit/blame for the Draft because they make the decision, but they are relying on the reports from the scouts whom they selected. Get better scouts!
Baseball drafting is such a crapshoot, but some seem to do it better. Isn't success beyond the 2nd or 3rd round just luck? Was picking Sergio Romo in the 28th round a credit to anything but a lucky dart? He was the Giants best pick in the 4 years between Cain and Lincecum!
Compared to the other 2 major sports, baseball is probably at least 10 times if not 100 times more difficult to predict young talent. The amount of players, rounds, minor league teams, international signings, etc means it is incredibly difficult to find a dude and then be able to develop him through each level. The challenges only begin by picking the right players which is hard enough but then you have to hope they survive multiple levels of minor leagues in some of the least attractive parts of this country for several years at least and very little money. Not to mention all of your teammates who will stab you in the back first chance they get if it helps them advance. Somehow FZ needs to figure out what it is that pushes some players to make it through the grind and get to the MLB and target that characteristic when he drafts!
DeleteThey traded Wheeler for Beltran since they were trying to make a playoff run after Busters horrific injury. Can't blame them for that. I bet FZ would love to have Reynolds now. Baseball draft is the biggest crapshoot out of all the major sports. I think success past the 2nd+ 3rd round is part luck, but great scouting and player development too. Interested to see how 10th round pick Vaun Brown does this year.
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