San Francisco Giants Spring Preview: Tyler Beede

The fast track hasn’t boded well for Tyler Beede so far, but some changes made for the 2016 season could be a positive going forward.

It can’t be easy to enter a franchise who has stirred up high expectations with winning the World Series three times in six years. But for Tyler Beede, he has already shown he was a winner a couple years ago as he led a Vanderbilt Commodores staff to a College World Series championship. The San Francisco Giants rewarded the starting pitcher with his stuff by drafting him 14th overall in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft. Little did they know both teams would win in the same season.

Vanderbilt has a great track record of providing stellar starting pitchers, like David Price, Sonny Gray, and Mike Minor, and future Major Leaguer Carson Fulmer. When Beede was drafted by the Giants, the organization wanted him on the fast track to hopefully earn a spot in the rotation for the future. But 2015 proved to be a struggle for the Giants and the youngster. While having a productive few months after playing college ball in 2014, Beede split his time between High A-San Jose and Double A-Richmond in 2015. Not having command and being worn out, the inexperience of pitching was a sign for the former first round pick as the second half of his season was tumultuous.

Here are Beede’s 2015 MILB stats at A and AA:

San Jose – 9 GS, 2-2 record, 2.24 ERA, 52.1 IP, 1.15 WHIP, 9 BB, 37 SO

Richmond – 13 GS, 3-8 record, 5.23 ERA, 72.1 IP, 1.34 WHIP, 35 BB, 49 SO

As Beede got a well-deserved call up, the spike in numbers as he went to Richmond was worrying. He looks to correct the failures from the end of his season.

Chris Heston had a similar fall out at the Major League level after a solid first half of the season — along with a no-hitter.

February 28, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tyler Beede (63) poses for a picture during photo day at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

The Giants rotation has been roughed up in recent years, even back in 2014 when they won the World Series at the hand of the savior, Madison Bumgarner. Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson, older at this point of their careers, were gassed as their stamina is not at the level it once was. Free agency after the 2015 was an important offseason as three rotation spots opened up, and shed some light on the minor league staff. When Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto were both signed, that left one more spot open to compete for this spring, and the pressure has grown. The minor league system was not quite ready.

With Tim Lincecum in free agency, and Matt Cain with the many questions around his arm, the fifth spot is wide open.

Beede, Clayton Blackburn, Ty Blach, and Heston all have a chance at some point in 2016 to prove why they think they are the guy for the job. But realistically speaking, Beede’s chance may not come this season.

That is nothing to fret about as he is only 22 years old. Heston made his debut last season at age 27. Adding Samardzija and Cueto will help with a questionable bottom half of the rotation, and provide some stability for the short term. This allows Beede to receive yet another full season in the minors and the chance to freshen up his game.

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To address these issues that developed at the end of 2015 season, Beede has worked this offseason focusing on the smaller details and correcting them. Starting in March, Beede can showcase the changes as he hopes to find some consistency and to last longer during starts.

In college, Beede’s command was already a concern during his junior year. That will be the key of advancement as it has been the focal point in the Giants system for their pitchers. Pitching two scoreless frames in the Futures game in Cincinnati, Beede showcased what he is capable of. Bruce Bochy and Dave Righetti have decided to include Beede as a non-roster invitee this spring to get some big league reps and find placement to begin his 2016 season.

Having the luxury of working with one of the game’s best catchers in Buster Posey, that should boost confidence as the pitch is effective with Posey’s framing of the mitt. This spring should not be viewed as how soon can Beede get to the San Francisco ball club. Being his first spring, this is the opportunity to learn from Posey and Righetti, and build chemistry so when it is time, Beede can stay up for the long run.