Austin Beck

As an underclassman, Beck was a known commodity for Carolina area scouts thanks to travel ball and his own high school team. Then Beck tore his left knee's ACL just as his junior year came to a close and missed the entire summer and fall as a result. When scouts went to go see Beck hit in the cages during the winter, he was a different animal. The North Carolina recruit used his time away to fill in his frame, and his plus-plus bat speed attracted upper-level scouts early in the spring. Decision-makers didn't get to see Beck hitting with a wood bat against good high school pitching on the showcase circuit, but he's shown present all-fields power and puts on a show in batting practice. He is a plus runner and has a plus arm, giving him the potential to become an impact defender in center field, where his reads and route-running remain raw. Beck has moving parts to his swing, with a bit of a leg kick and some back-elbow drive to his load. In spurts he'll show a more selective approach and sound understanding of the strike zone, but he will also become more aggressive at times and can sometimes struggle to barrel breaking pitches. He is a passionate player with a fiery competitive nature to his game. Beck is a hard worker and comes from a humble, small-town upbringing. He is a high-risk, high-reward prospect whose tools compare to some of the best players in the game. If he proves that he can get to those tools consistently, Beck has the potential to develop into an all-star.