The Royals drafted Drew Beam in the third round of the 2024 MLB draft, and he was widely considered one of the safest pitching prospects in the draft. He came on to the scene his freshman year and continued to be one of the best and most consistent starters in the NCAA. Beam already has a 4-5 pitch mix all of which can translate to the MLB with their spin and velocity.

Why are people not giving Beam the credit he deserves?

The truth with Beam is that he’s not a flashy prospect, and he doesn’t have elite velocity or spin to build on. Beam does not have elite strikeout numbers either, and there is a general feeling that Beam has a low ceiling as a prospect. He does not rely on super high velocity or spin to get outs and leans on his consistent command and impressive tunneling to force bad swings.

Oftentimes, prospects with flashy stuff rank higher because they catch your eye and have incredibly high potential. Beam is kind of the opposite as he may not flash elite stuff but has good command and is incredibly consistent in attacking the strike zone. Many feel that Beam’s success may not continue into the MLB and his lack of room to improve could hurt him as he moves through the farm system. 

What makes Beam better than most people think:

While there is some concern about Beam’s overall stuff, these concerns are overblown in my opinion. Despite popular belief, Beam has an average to above-average fastball. He typically sits mid-90s with his fastball and has good shape to it, making it likely his most effective pitch. The fastball is the base to build from for any pitcher, and with Beam already having a very effective fastball, his development can continue with the effectiveness of his off-speed pitches. 

Other than his fastball, Beam has several solid off-speed offerings, including a cutter, changeup, and a solid curveball as well. Beam’s changeup is a very solid pitch, with good fading action to it, and pairs very well with his fastball. His curveball is solid with late break, but average movement across the zone. The last pitch for Beam is a gyro cutter with good movement and spin but still needs some development to become more effective as he moves through the organization.

What is his outlook?

The best attribute for Beam is his elite command of the ball and his ability to pound the zone. He attacks the strike zone and looks to make hitters swing the bat and stay ahead in the count. While we have yet to see Beam pitch at the professional level, I think his command is elite and is in the conversation for the best command in the system. Beam meets a lot of the standards to be an MLB pitcher and has the mentality that the Royals have been pushing through their entire organization over the last two years.

I would like to see Beam add a slider or sweeper that can pair with the gyro cutter to keep hitters off balance laterally as well. Beam will also need to prove he can continue to manipulate and attack the strike zone as he gets to the majors the way he did in college. Beam is a polished prospect but will need to prove it can carry over to the pro level. He will likely start in A+ Quad Cities where I think he will find success. I think he could be a fast mover in the Royals’ organization and with some development could be one of the top starters in the entire system.