RHP Clark Beeker
Clark Beeker came to the Twins organization after he was selected in the 33rd round of the 2016 draft out of Davidson College. After being drafted he was able to record 43.2 innings between Elizabethton and the Gulf Coast League Twins. This past season Beeker opened the season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels and spent most of the season there but had a brief 3 game stint with Fort Meyers.
2017 was a monumental season for Beeker’s prospect status as he turned in one of the best pitching performances in all of the Twins minor leagues. Between the two leagues, Beeker held a 2.94 ERA over 23 starts and recorded two complete games. Within the season he also turned in an incredible 34.1 inning scoreless streak.
Beeker is known for his command. He does not throw the baseball hard so it his ability to command the ball and mix in his offspeed stuff that allows him to see the sort of success that he saw this past season. Beeker’s BB/K ratio of 92/23 shows just good he was at not giving up any free passes to batters in his first full season of professional baseball.
In all honesty, saying that Beeker can make it to a Thielen type level in major league baseball might be a little strong. His ceiling is a back of the rotation starter, but if Beeker turns into that after being a 33rd round draft pick that is some tremendous value for the Twins organization. It is also almost certain that the story of his 34.1 innings scoreless pitching streak will be told as often as Thielen’s story has been told this football season.