Top Prospects Adjusting to Post-High School Baseball

Perhaps the most important thing Tim Beckham has learned since signing a professional baseball contract last summer is “You’ve got to get more rest,” he told MaxPreps. “It’s a long season. You play every day.”

The Tampa Bay Rays made Beckham the No. 1 selection during the 2008 Major League Draft and awarded him a reported $6.15 million following his brilliant career as a shortstop at Griffin, Ga.

“I do feel pressure at times,” Beckham admitted, because of being the No. 1 pick. “But I try not to look at it that way.”

He started out with the Rays’ rookie team in Princeton, W.Va., where he batted .243 in 46 games. He had 12 doubles, two home runs, 13 walks, five stolen bases and struck out 43 times. His best game was a 4-for-5 effort.

He played his final two games with the Hudson Valley Renegades in the New York-Penn League, going 2-for-6 with a double, two walks and a stolen base.

This year the 6-foot, 190-pounder  is with the Bowling Green (Ky.) Hot Rods of the Class A South Atlantic League. In his first four games, he was 3-for-15 with one home run and three runs batted in.

Beckham says the thing he misses most about high school is “playing with my friends – just the fun times.”

Though he has not been surprised by the overall demands of minor league baseball, he says that his biggest challenge has been “the pitching. Everybody throws harder. They are a lot smarter. You’ve got to make a lot of adjustments."

The young shortstop has been most pleased with his improvement on defense. “I’m much better than I was in high school,” he says proudly. “But I have to work on everything. You never can be perfect.”

ERIC HOSMER

Hosmer, a powerful 6-4, 215-pound first baseman, was the No. 3 draft selection. The Kansas City Royals gave him a reported $6 million after he helped American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) win the national team championship with a 31-2 record.

He signed late in the summer and played in only three games for Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League. He batted .364 with two doubles, two runs, three walks and drove in two runs.

This year he is with the Class A Burlington (Iowa) Bees. In his first three games he batted .364 with two doubles.

The big slugger never will forget his pro debut. “I had to sing in front of the team,” he related. “I didn’t expect it at all, but I had a day to think about it. I was probably more nervous about that than the game. I sang a rap song.”

Though Hosmer admits missing teammates that he played with since he was “seven or eight years old,” he quickly adds, “I’ve met a lot of great guys, so it makes it comfortable here.”

Hosmer says he “kind of had an idea” what pro ball would be like, “but it’s a lot different playing games in front of 3,000 or 4,000 people. I’m really happy with my decision. The biggest adjustment is playing every day. It’s an every-day grind – a mental game. In high school we played two or three days (per week), so if you had a bad day you could shake it off.”

GERRIT COLE

Cole stands at the other end of the spectrum. The 6-4, 212-pound flame-throwing right-handed pitcher had an outstanding career at Orange Lutheran (Calif.) and was taken No. 28 by the New York Yankees. He would have been much higher had he not told everyone he definitely was going to college. Still, the Yankees made him their first pick.

“There was no offer at all,” Cole told MaxPreps. “I told them I wanted to go to college (UCLA).” It was a huge decision, because once a player enters college, he can’t sign a pro contract for three years.

That doesn’t bother Cole, either, because he graduated when he was 17 years old and he’ll only be 20 when the 2011 draft comes up.

So far this spring, Cole has compiled a 2-3 record with a 4.15 ERA. In 43.3 innings, he has given up 35 hits, 20 earned runs, 15 extra-base hits, 15 walks and struck out 58. Opponents are batting only .217 against him.

In his best outing he struck out 12 in five innings against East Carolina. However, the game was postponed by rain and he was not able to finish it the following day.

He already has assumed the role of UCLA’s “Friday Night Pitcher,” signifying him as No. 1 on the staff. That’s usually a key conference game and draws the most major league scouts.

The team is scuffling somewhat with a 14-19 record.

Cole calls college baseball “a huge momentum game. They have metal bats (high schools use wood bats). Any little mistake or base hit can start a rally. I have to be a lot more fine with my pitches and be a lot more mentally tough. I also need to cut down on pitches per hitter – try to get guys out more efficiently.”

ALEX MEYER

Meyer, a 6-8, 205-pound right-handed pitcher from Greensburg (Ind.), also chose the college route after being taken in the 20th round by the Boston Red Sox. He reportedly rejected $2.5 million at the signing deadline.

As a freshman, Meyer has assumed the key role of “Friday Night Pitcher” for the talented but young University of Kentucky program.

In nine games this spring – seven of them starts – Meyer has a 1-2 record with a 4.69 ERA. He also has one save. In 40.3 innings, he has allowed 30 hits, 21 earned runs, 33 walks and struck out 44. Opponents are hitting only .213 against him – No. 4 in the Southeastern Conference and No. 1 for freshmen. He also has yielded the fewest hits in the SEC.

KYLE SKIPWORTH

The 6-4, 195-pound catcher was the No. 6 pick by the Florida Marlins after a great career at Patriot (Rubidoux, Calif.), which was climaxed by being named Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Last summer, he batted .208 in the Gulf Coast League. In 43 games, he had six doubles, five home runs, 22 runs, 13 walks, drove in 21 runs and struck out 46 times.

In his first four games this year, he is batting .250 with one home run, two runs and he has driven in three runs for the Greensboro (N.C.) Grasshoppers of the Class A South Atlantic League.

AARON HICKS

Hicks probably could make it big as an outfielder or pitcher, but the Minnesota Twins, who made him the No. 14 pick, are using him mainly in center field because of his terrific speed. He was an all-around star last year at Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.) where his fastball topped 90 miles per hour.

The 6-2, 178-pounder played 45 games last summer for the Fort Myers (Fla.) Twins in the Gulf Coast League. He batted .318 with 32 runs, 10 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 28 walks, struck out 32 times and drove in 27 runs. So far this spring, he is with the same team in extended spring training and hit his first home run this week. He will be reassigned after the June draft takes place.

Baseball America ranks him as the No. 1 athlete in the entire Minnesota system.

CASEY KELLY

Kelly was a standout shortstop and right-handed pitcher for Sarasota (Fla.) High before being drafted No. 30 by the Boston Red Sox.

Last summer he played in the Gulf Coast League and batted .173 in 27 games. He had five doubles, one home run, 10 runs, six walks, drove in nine runs and struck out 34 times. He finished with the Lowell (Mass.) Spinners of the Class A New York-Penn League where he batted .344 in nine games with five doubles, one triple and four RBIs.

This year the 6-3, 194-pounder has pitched five innings and won his only decision. He gave up four hits, no runs, one walk and struck out five for the Greenville (S.C.) Drive of the South Atlantic League.

CHASE DAVIDSON

The 6-5, 230-pound outfielder-first baseman from Milton, Ga., was taken No. 88 (a third-rounder) by the Houston Astros, but opted to attend the University of Georgia.

He has played in 34 games this year, starting 26. He is batting .266 with nine doubles, three home runs, 12 runs and he has driven in 19 runs. He also has walked seven times, stolen three bases and struck out 33 times.

The Bulldogs are 29-6 and 11-4 in the SEC.