The Colorado Rockies selected Jordan Beck with the 38th pick in the 2022 MLB Draft Sunday night. Beck joins fellow Tennessee outfielder Drew Gilbert as Tennessee’s draft selections in the 2022 draft.
The 38th pick was a Compensatory Round A pick, making Beck the second to last player selected in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
This year’s draft marks the first time since 2007 that two Tennessee players went in the first round.
The Hazel Green, Alabama native was Tennessee’s starting right fielder since his freshman season before making steady improvements every season.
Beck tied for the team-high, totaling 15 home runs in his sophomore season before hitting 18 home runs as a junior in 2021. The power-hitting outfielder hit .298 with a .595 slugging percentage and 61 RBIs.
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The 6-foot-3, 225-pound outfielder is built like a MLB outfielder. Beck has elite power and can drive the ball to both sides of the field with ease. While he’s not the smoothest defensive right fielder, Beck has a cannon for a right arm and made opponents pay when they tested it on the base paths.
The Boston Red Sox drafted Beck in the 14th round of the 2019 MLB Draft before the north Alabama native elected to stick with his pledge to Tennessee. That move paid dividends with Beck bound to earn a significantly higher signing bonus after three college seasons.
Beck’s largest flaw as a college player was his struggles laying off low-and-away breaking balls. The tall outfielder grew in that regard year-to-year but still struggled at times as a junior.
The Vols are chasing the program record eight MLB Draft selections in the 2022 draft. Here’s everything to know about Tennessee’s other draft prospects entering the three-day event and stay locked in to Rocky Top Insider for updates throughout the weekend.
