Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | CHW | OF | 20 | 40 |
Grades Update: Dec 2020
| OFP | Role | Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 40 | 30 | 30 | 50 | 40 | 80 |
Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: Matt Thompson
Age: 20 yr
Height: 5-10
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 4
RuleV: 2023
Physical Description: Very small, skinny frame. Small forearms and waistline. Will be one of the smallest players on the diamond no matter when he plays.
Hit: Beard struggled to make contact during his pro debut, with a strikeout rate hovering near 40%. When he does make contact often it's on the ground (54% rate) and to his pull side (58%). For someone with true 80-grade speed I don't mind the extreme ground ball lean. He's not going to be a power hitter ever, but he's also not just a slap hitter, showing a good swing with above-average bat speed. Immature pitch recognition skills and aggressiveness lead to the strikeouts. For this profile to work he needs to make more contact. Grade: 30
Power: Power is surely not Beard's game. The extra base hits he does accumulate will be because of his legs. He has enough speed to turn well placed bloopers into doubles, and any gapper is a serious threat for three bags. Beard doesn't drive the ball and hits the ball on the ground at an extreme rate. There's enough raw power to hit 6-8 homers but the batted ball profile and aggressiveness won't allow him to get there. Grade: 30
Field: Doesn't get the best jumps and will take bad routes, but has the pure straight line speed to cover up his mistakes. Elite athlete, strong future centerfielder. Has the makings of a future plus defender but he's not there yet. Grade: 50
Arm: Below average arm, accurate but lacks carry. Grade: 40
Run: Game changing speed. Infielders perk up when he steps in the box and they know if there's a slight bobble he's getting on base. Puts a lot of pressure on the defense, pitchers and catchers can lose focus because they are worried about Beard when he reaches base. It's the kind of speed that lets him hang around and have a half decade career like Terrance Gore without ever touching a bat. There's still hope for his offensive game. Grade: 80
Overall: It's fun to see pure 80-grade tools. Beard has one. The rest of his game is very much a question, but he's going to keep getting opportunities because there are tangible baseball skills here. He is also an up the middle athlete which buys him more time. It'll be a long slow trip through the minors but Beard's upside is worth the wait.
OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench or Platoon
Risk: High
