As we continue our countdown we look at one of the most powerful bats in the country in Clemson’s Seth Beer.
Coming out of high school he was ranked as the second best player in the nation by Perfect Game and the best player in the state of Georgia.
He immediately made an impact at the collegiate level hitting .369 as a freshman with 57 runs scored, 13 doubles, 18 home runs, 70 RBI, 27 strikeouts, 62 walks and a .535 on-base-percentage.
He became the first freshman to win the Dick Howser Trophy.
After that 2016 season many were predicting him to be the first overall pick in the 2018 draft.
A slow start to his sophomore season tampered those expectations a bit. But he still hit .298 with 51 runs scored, 17 doubles, 16 home runs, 53 RBI, 35 strikeouts, 64 walks and a .478 on-base-percentage. His slow sophomore season continued with the USA Baseball program in the summer of 2017 where he hit .232 with only one homer and 13 RBI. He did not record a hit during the team’s series against Japan while struggling to make contact.
That walk-to-strikeout ratio is highly impressive for a power hitter. The reason he’s able to do that is because he doesn’t just let the hips fly, he’s able to stay back and throw his hands at the baseball. And he has enough power to drive the baseball even though it’s mostly upper body.
There is no questioning this guys bat, he will be one of the best hitters in college baseball against this year, and I have little doubt that he’ll hit at the next level.
The only drawback on Beer is his defense. Many feel he is a below average defender in a corner outfield spot. I tend to disagree as I think he’s at least average in the outfield, and you’ll take average defense with that bat.
Of course, an American League team could always take him and let him become a dynamite DH.
As a college baseball fan, make sure you enjoy this kids talent this season as he’s one of the best hitters we’ve seen come through the college ranks in quite some time.
