Austin
Beck

4/7/17 - A handful of scouts, including a couple national crosscheckers and an assistant GM, watched him take BP on a Friday afternoon. He showed quick hands that generated bat speed and allowed the ball to cut through a stiff win that was blowing in. Most scouts left after BP for other games, but the two national crosscheckers and assistant GM remained. With 20 walks in 15 games, Beck hasn’t been able to swing the bat often, but he got his chance in this game. He smoked a ball that went through the third baseman in his first at-bat. He ended up on second with North Davidson ruling it a double and the visiting team ruling it an error. There were no questions about his next at-bat, when he let a ball travel and laced it into right-center field for a triple. He was hit by a pitch in his third at-bat, but collected another hit in his fourth trip. Against a well-below-average fastball by high school standards, Beck launched one to left field for a home run. It traveled over a building beyond the fence with estimates of 390 feet. In his final at-bat, he skied a ball to center field that should have been a pop out, but the fielder whiffed. He didn’t get any plays in the outfield and never had to turn on the jets full blast to show his speed. At the plate, his swing is loose and quick, though it gets big at times. North Davidson won 26-0.

3/17/17 - Intentionally walked in his first two at-bats. He walked on five pitches in his third before finally getting to swing the bat in his fourth trip. He fouled a few pitches off before smoking a single through the left side. Beck has premium bat speed and takes a short path to the ball. Defensively, we got to see Beck use his speed in the outfield as he raced into the right-center field gap twice to make running catches. There were a couple base hits up the middle with a runner on second, but they were wisely held at third as Beck showed off a plus arm with strong throws to the plate.

3/8/17 - Muscular build at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. A right-handed hitter, he stands tall and balanced in the box with a vertical bat that works with a waggle during an aggressive stride and uses a small leg kick. The bat head creates leverage as the hands load. He lacks some consistency in his barrel position during the launch that tends get better the deeper he gets in the count. He has premium bat speed and a feel for the barrel. His hands work with quickness and there is good strength at point of contact. The ball jumps and had backspin on each one he put in play. He showed the ability to stay level and stay on pitches away, driving them to the opposite gap. He also created uphill leverage and turned on a ball on the inner half with authority. He punched out once in a competitive at-bat and his fourth at-bat was a no-doubt home run over the left-field wall. He looks to be running well, but didn’t have to turn it on at any point during the night. He has aggressive position in center field and flashed some athleticism with a throw on the run to nail a runner at second base on a flare. It had carry and accuracy out of his hand.

06.28.16 - A consensus top player in the state of North Carolina entering his JR year, Beck led North Davidson to a State Title in 2016, but did injure his knee in the process and will be out for most of the summer.  A toolsy 6-foot-1, 190 pounder that has translated his athleticism into his game.  An elite OF defender that can create havoc on offense with his speed and an ability to drive balls gap to gap.