Bowie outfielder Dylan Beavers talks about his season and the process to get better

[embed=gallery][{"namespace":"shared/ORIOLES"}][/embed]For 22-year-old outfielder Dylan Beavers of the Double-A Bowie Baysox, the work to get better and take his game to higher levels is ongoing daily at Prince George’s Stadium and other ballparks around the Eastern League.

Beavers is ranked as the Orioles’ No. 6 prospect by MLBPipeline.com and No. 10 via Baseball America.

He added weight and strength over the winter and that helped him drive the ball better and hit more homers, but he also seen his batting average and OPS drop.

But on the O’s farm, the focus is always on process over results and coaches and players alike take a long-term view. A couple days or even a few weeks of struggles are understood if both sides feel that things are taking place for long-term success.

“I think there have been some positives to take away and also definitely some things to improve on, work on,” Beavers told me recently at Bowie in sizing up his 2024 season. “My power is starting to show up – feel like I am driving the ball better this year. And just kind of matching that consistency that I had last year while continuing to drive the ball.”

After producing an OPS of .850 in 85 games with High-A Aberdeen and 34 at Bowie last season, he has spent this entire year with Bowie. Over 69 games he is batting .240/.338/.415/.753 with 12 doubles, three triples, nine homers and 29 RBIs.

Beavers gets 50 or better scouting grades for all five tools. Per Baseball America he has 55 grade power while scoring 60 for running and arm.

He said he has done less tinkering and more fine tuning with his swing this year. The results have not always been there, but he is trending back up a few slow weeks in June.

Taken No. 33 overall in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Cal, Beavers is a lefty batter and right-handed defender who this year has played nine games in left field, 13 in center and 32 in right for the Baysox.

He had an OPS of .851 at the end of May, but then had a bit of a June swoon with an OPS of .599 that is now .701 thus far in July.

Once again, it's about process over results taking a long view.

“There are just so many variables when it comes to hitting,” said Beavers. “You could feel great one day, but the results might not be there. There is a lot more that plays into it. So if you feel like you have a good process, I think in the long run you will have success. So patience is very important. You know otherwise you will keep scrapping with every adjustment you make if you focus on a two or three-game sample size.

“For me I feel like I can get pretty quick feedback with how I feel in the box. If I feel like I am on time and can cover certain pitches that I need to cover, then I know I am in a good spot. I kind of evaluate based on what I am feeling in the box and how I am covering certain pitches.”

Beavers, who is 6-foot-4, put on winter weight and began spring training in the 218-220 range. He has dropped a few pounds during the year settling in to the 210-215 range which he feels keeps his speed up and boosts his power.

He averaged a homer every 40 at-bats last season and is hitting one every 29 at-bats in 2024.

“I think the strength that I added is playing a role,” he said. “There are a couple of homers I’ve hit where I missed them, kind of hit the ball toward the end (of the bat) and still hit it 100 plus. You know enough to get it out rather than a double off the wall. Strength has played a role in my power increase.”

He said the coaches almost always take that long view too and some of the numbers the organization focuses on are not found on a stat sheet.

“They look at it (the long view) a lot for sure. Exit velocity and angle, kind of go together. You want to hit it hard at good angles to increase your chances for the best outcome. That is something I wanted to improve. Something I am better at now that could have a substantial impact on my performance.”

Beavers said he hit a peak exit velocity of 110 mph once last year but has done it a few times this season. He is finding that his 2023 top exit velocities that were often ranging from 98 to 102 are now in that 103-107 mph range.

“I can definitely tell with the carry. When I really hit a ball it is going farther."

He is putting in the work to better recognize breaking balls and offspeed pitches. The pitching machine can be set for instance to throw him nothing but breaking balls down in the zone.

“Let’s say I feel I chase some curveballs down. You know, it's set the curveball (via the pitching machine) to the bottom of the zone for a strike and now I know where the ball has to start to clip the bottom of the zone. So I don’t see it at my knees and end up chasing it in the dirt. I know it has to start belt high if I want it to break in the zone. Most hitters have good discipline on fastballs, you see a lot of them. But becoming more comfortable with shapes in the cage allows you to continue to work on it. You have to consistently work at it to improve," he said.