Beck determined to get noticed for more than his height

When Orioles’ area scout Brandon Verley says there’s “definitely room for growth” with 13^th-round draft pick Jared Beck, he’s speaking about the development as a pitcher. By no means is he suggesting that Beck could become taller.

Sure, it’s possible. But Beck is probably done at 7-feet, a height that’s never been listed on a major league roster.

Verley, whose scouting territory moved to south Florida in 2020, believes that Beck is capable of improving on tools that got him noticed as a senior at Saint Leo University and enticed the Orioles into selecting him on the third day. He signed his professional contract on Tuesday.

“I know there’s never been a guy like him to make it,” said Verley, previously the Orioles’ Northwest scout who tracked catcher Adley Rutschman in 2019. “I’m hoping that he’s going to continue to project and get better. Guys just figure things out and they get better, and it could happen, really, at any time. And for him, it happened before it was too late, which is great.”

A pitcher with long limbs making a tremendous jump during his two seasons at Saint Leo after transferring from Illinois State.

Beck registered a 3.95 ERA and 1.259 WHIP in 13 starts this year, with 105 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings and a .217 opponents’ average.

“I definitely see him more of a bullpen guy in a shorter stint,” Verley said. “His weapons and his tools, hopefully, continue to tick up and improve. He’s a strike-thrower, so he has that going for him. If the weapons continue to play up, especially in a shorter look … and watch, he’ll probably end up staying a starter, now that I’ve said that.

“There’s definitely room for him to project. Our player development is going to be happy to work with him. He’s a bright kid, he wants to be better, he wants to be a guy and continue to be a guy, so he’s going to do everything in his power, I truly believe, to give himself success.”

How did Beck wind up in the organization besides having his name appear on the draft ticker and agreeing to terms?

A group effort in a revamped and modernized process with the analytics department, with scouting analyst Hendrik Herz, compiling data on statistics and the unique qualities that Beck carries. Verley scouted him and wrote up reports.

“I saw him in the fall for the Saint Leo Scout Day and drew up some interest,” he said. “He didn’t have a great year in 2021, but obviously, he’s left-handed and 7 foot, so you immediately are like, ‘Who’s that guy?’ He’s an extremely hard worker and a good kid and a great competitor, and he just got better, he figured some things out over the course of the summer of 2021 going into the fall, and started sparking interest in the fall. And then, when the spring came around, the performance …

“We keep track of performance pretty close as scouts, but especially with this new group. The analytics department does a great job of flagging guys, so he was going out and having good outings and I got a chance to see him twice. Just unique qualities. Strike-thrower, good competitor, and coaches and everybody had great things to say about him. Teammates. He’s just turned himself into a prospect.”

Being drafted kind of sneaked up on Beck. He was checking the tracker online with his parents and girlfriend Alexandra Hare at his family’s Iowa home, where he was visiting for a few weeks. He didn’t know that the Orioles wanted him until it became official.

“I saw my name pop up and I was like, ‘Oh, I thought I’d get a call,’ but I didn’t. And then I finally got the call (from Verley) and it all just came together. It was awesome,” he said.

“I actually had no idea that they were even looking at me. I had a call with Brandon a couple weeks prior to the draft, but I just thought he was kind of asking a couple questions. It wasn’t anything serious, either. And then I saw my name pop up for the Orioles, and it was actually like, ‘No way.’ I didn’t know they were looking at me. I don’t even know if they came and saw me pitch in a game. It was kind of weird.”

Beck’s advisor, Chris Lemonis of Headline Sports Group, told him prior to the draft that he might be chosen on the second day. That was the industry scuttlebutt.

“I went through the whole second day and my name wasn’t popping up, and I was kind of freaking out, but the third day comes around, 13^th round, and I was still freaking out, honestly,” Beck said. “The third day, I was thinking maybe it might not happen, and then it finally did. It was awesome.”

Beck spent two years at Heartland Community College in Illinois, beginning as a red-shirt following surgery to repair a torn UCL in his elbow. The 2020 season was ruined by the pandemic, also limiting his work on the mound.

The bio includes his stint at Illinois State, where he pitched in the fall, before transferring to Saint Leo and going 2-4 with a 7.29 ERA in 2021, walking 26 batters and striking out 36 in 33 1/3 innings. He joined the Savannah Bananas in the Coastal Plain League, allowed only three earned runs and struck out 38 in 25 2/3 innings, and kept impressing scouts back at school this season.

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” he said. “I figured it was just the in-game experience for me that was the biggest part. I didn’t really get much opportunity earlier in my college career. Just getting my in-game experience, getting those innings under my belt and kind of learning the game a little more.

“It’s different when you’re playing because, you can train all you want, but you get in a game and it’s going to be different. So, I think getting those games under my belt and trusting myself, trusting the guys behind me, I think that really helped me develop into who I am today.”

There was a slight bump in the velocity on Beck’s fastball, which Verley observed and also heard about.

“The days I saw him, he was 87-91 mph, but in a one-inning fall look on the scout day, he was more 90-92. And I’ve had guys tell me that early in the spring last year, he had some flashes when he was touching 94. I never saw that, personally, but I could believe it,” Verley said.

“In a one-inning or two-inning bullpen look, instead of being expected to go six or seven as a starter, he can definitely have uptick in velocity. Most all guys do.”

Mechanics are going to be a challenge for Beck because of his build. Repeating his delivery, not getting out of whack. He’s used to it.

“For sure,” he said, “and just the right mechanics.”

“Anybody can get on a mound and throw the ball, but it’s about using my legs and speeding my body up,” he said. “I think both of those helped me a lot. And I know there’s so much more I can do by getting into my legs even more.”

Beck played basketball for four years at Davenport North High School, golf for three and tennis for one. But baseball was his passion.

“I just love the game,” he said. “It came a little easier to me. I had a lot of fun with the other sports, but there’s nothing like baseball. It’s different to me. I don’t know. It’s just something I love, and I knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.”

Saint Leo basketball coach Lance Randall wasn’t going to change his mind.

“I talked to him one time,” Beck said. “There were tryouts. There was a 6-9 kid on the baseball team with me and we were both joking around, saying we should go to the tryouts and see what they say. I just wanted to focus on baseball. That’s what I wanted to do.”

Beck is the tallest member of a family that isn’t height-challenged. He says his father, Kevin, is 6-feet-5 and his mother, Brenda, is 6 feet, “so that’s definitely where it comes from.”

“But it’s weird,” he said. “My mom’s side, my grandpa was 6-3, maybe, and on my dad’s side, both of his parents were, like, super short. So, I kind of came out of nowhere, really.”

Older brothers Jake and Justin are in the 6-4 to 6-6 range.

“I kind of beat them out,” Beck said.

A tremendous growth spurt in eighth and ninth grades put Beck out of reach.

“I was always taller than everyone, but I grew about 11 inches in 2 years. It was crazy,” he said.

“In eighth grade I was playing basketball and I had Achilles tendinitis in both heels, so that was probably just growing pains bothering me a little bit, but I still played through it. And I was ducking through doors more. Sometimes, I hit my head here and there, so I’ve got to be careful and watch out for that. Shower heads, too. Got to duck under those. It’s kind of funny.”

Opposing batters aren’t amused when Beck steps on a mound. He’s an imposing figure. There aren’t many comps out there.

“No doubt,” Verley said. “He creates really good downhill angles and he’s got a little, kind of herky-jerky. Not in a bad way, but just something that has given him more deception. So, from that angle and that release point, it gets on you at a different clip than a 6-foot right-hander. There’s no doubt.

“He’s definitely a unique guy.”

No matter what numbers Beck puts up in his baseball career, the tale of the tape is likely to draw the most attention. There’s a natural obsession over a baseball player who towers over the field. And especially a pitcher.

“It just comes with it,” he said. “I’ve gotten it since I was, like, 12-years-old. People would come up to me and ask how tall I was. I’m so used to it by now.”

Sean Hjelle and Jon Rauch are the tallest players in major league history, at 6-feet-11. Beck could set the record.

“Yes, I am aware,” he said. “Sounds pretty cool to me.”

Hall of Famer Randy Johnson was one of Beck’s favorite players growing up. Probably makes sense to admire a pitcher who stood 6-feet-9.

“It’s easier to look up to guys like that,” Beck said. “They can do it, so why can’t I? I think about it that way.”

Beck doesn’t need the motivation, but it’s there.

“Everybody has great things to say about him,” Verley said. “He’s a good competitor, a hard worker. He’s fun to talk to. He’s confident in himself and engaging. We’re happy to have him.”