This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers’ Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
DETROIT -- Back in Spring Training, on the Minor League side of the Royals’ complex in Surprise, Ariz., one of the organization’s newest pitchers sat down to talk about his goals for his first season.
All Drew Beam, the Royals’ third-round pick in the 2024 Draft out of Tennessee, had in mind was just getting the season started.
“I’m excited to just experience it,” Beam said. “Be a part of it for the first time. And just keep the momentum going. Keep pushing through, move up as quickly as I can to impact the big league team as soon as possible. But I’m excited just to get going and be a part of this organization and get better every day.”
The Royals’ No. 14 prospect, Beam achieved one big milestone last week when he notched his first professional win, tossing six scoreless innings, with just four hits allowed, two walks and six strikeouts for High-A Quad Cities against Beloit (Marlins).
It was his third start of the year, with the Royals sending him right to High-A to begin the season. Last Thursday’s start was by far his best, and he now has a 3.77 ERA with 12 strikeouts and four walks in 14 1/3 innings this season.
“I’m sort of shocked that he lasted to the third round -- that was the first thing that jumped out at me after watching him compete in Spring Training,” Royals senior director of pitching performance Paul Gibson said. “He’s a really strong competitor. He has great baseball intellect and feel on the mound. And he’s a great kid off the field as well. Really well-rounded, takes care of his business, and when he’s on the mound for his starts, he’s very well-prepared. He’s not afraid of the strike zone at all. We’re really excited about how he’s getting off to a good start.”
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Beam, 22, was considered one of the best college starters in last year’s Draft, not because of how nasty he was with his stuff, but because of how reliable he was for the reigning Men’s College World Series champion Volunteers. Beam capped his collegiate career with Tennessee by earning All-America honors for the second time in his career and was especially strong during his team’s title run, posting a 2.00 ERA across two starts in the CWS.
The Royals selected Beam with the No. 76 overall pick last summer because of his high floor. As a college starter coming from the Southeastern Conference, Beam has the chance to move quickly.
And because of his advanced feel and maturity, the Royals were confident they could send him right to High-A to begin his career.
“These guys that come out of these big schools, and particularly Tennessee after coming off a championship, they just have that little edge to them, the confidence, and we feed off that,” Gibson said. “The skill has to match, but in this particular case, it was a pretty easy evaluation of his skill level and where to send him.”
Beam throws five pitches -- a 95-97 mph four-seam fastball, a low-to-mid 90s two-seamer, knuckle curveball, circle changeup and a cutter. The cutter is a newer pitch and a work in progress, but the Royals think it can help Beam against left-handers.
“Really, my game is about attacking the zone, being a strike-thrower,” Beam said. “I don’t overpower guys. I more just use the ability I have to throw in the zone, get guys out quickly with soft contact.”
Generating more swing and miss has been a focus for Beam as he’s gotten his pro career started, but Gibson believes it will naturally come with usage tweaks and an improvement to his putaway pitches, particularly with his curveball.
“The fact that he has a four-seam and a two-seam allows him to pitch to all four quadrants,” Gibson said. “And he uses the upper part of the strike zone very well. When he needs a ground ball, he uses the two-seamer and is very effective at the bottom of the zone with that. And he’s not afraid to pitch in.”
Beam will likely be an average swing and miss pitcher, but his command and control -- along with clean mechanics and a repeatable delivery -- will continue to be the key for him, wherever this year and beyond takes him.
“Focusing a little on getting the strikeout numbers up has been fun, just attacking that style of pitching,” Beam said. “Strikeouts are cool. … But I’ve always been able to utilize my command to really help me out.”