Continuing the look at Baseball America's top prospects list from each league, today we focus on the Southern League (subscription only). Brandon Beachy (Woodstock 08), he of the ridiculously speedy ascent to the major leagues, made BA's list at #17.
Not only did Brandon go ripping through the minors, but he made three critical starts for the parent Atlanta Braves in the midst of a pennant race. He performed very well, throwing 15 innings and allowing 16 hits and 7 walks, but also striking out 15 batters. My guess is that if he can tighten the strike zone a little bit, he'll be in the majors again soon.
Anyway, here is BA's writeup on Mr. Beachy:
In one of the more improbable stories of 2010, Beachy went from being a nondrafted free agent two years earlier to opening the season in Mississippi's bullpen to making the Braves' postseason roster. In between, he won the minor league ERA title (1.73) and acquitted himself well in three crucial September starts for Atlanta.
Beachy primarily works with two pitches. His low-90s fastball doesn't have a lot of life, but he throws it on a nice downhill plane and does a good job of locating it, particularly on the inner half. His hard, big-breaking curveball has nice depth and good bite.
After moving into the rotation, Beachy began using his improved changeup more often. He has a good frame and a repeatable delivery that enables him to fill the strike zone.
Congratulations, Brandon!
Recent Comments