Tim Beckham
Encyclopedia
Timothy Lamar Beckham is a minor league
shortstop
for the Class AA Montgomery Biscuits
of the Southern League
. He was the first overall selection of the 2008 MLB Draft, and signed with the Rays on June 19, receiving a signing bonus of $6.15 million. He has played with the Princeton Rays of the Appalachian League
the Hudson Valley Renegades
, the Bowling Green Hot Rods
of the Midwest League
, and the Charlotte Stone Crabs
of the Florida State League
.
as the top high school baseball prospect in the nation. Beckham is described as a potential five tool player at the major league
level. Beckham runs the 60 yard dash in 6.35 seconds, and bench presses 280 lbs. He stands 6'1" and weighs 190 lbs.
, basketball
and baseball
. However, he quit baseball while in grade school to focus on football and basketball. Encouraged by his brothers, he got back into baseball, and began to excel. Jeremy introduced him to baseball coach Anthony Dye, who coached the Atlanta Blue Jays. Dye realized the potential Beckham possessed, and worked closely with him. Beckham was the shortstop for the Griffin JV baseball team as an eighth grader, and the varsity team at Griffin High School in as a freshman.
before settling in at the shortstop position his freshman year on the Griffin High varsity team. Beckham batted seventh in the batting order and hit four home runs on the season.
. For the season he batted
.405 including five home runs, three triples
and six doubles
. He also added 22 runs batted in and stole 15 bases
.
. Beckham impressed, and finished the tournament rated as the #1 prospect out of over 2,000 participants. Later that year, in August of , Beckham took home the MVP Honors at the Aflac Classic in San Diego, California
, the most prestigious high school scouting showcase. Beckham concluded the summer of 2007 having batted .409, including nine home runs, 15 doubles, eight triples, and 32 stolen bases, against the best competition in America, confirming his status as the top high school prospect.
during his senior year, but maintained his intentions of entering the 2008 MLB Draft
. Through 24 games in his senior season, Beckham batted .500, with five home runs, nine doubles and three triples. Beckham also added 31 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.
along with fellow Tampa Bay Rays
prospects Hak-Ju Lee and Matt Moore
.
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the Class AA Montgomery Biscuits
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. He was the first overall selection of the 2008 MLB Draft, and signed with the Rays on June 19, receiving a signing bonus of $6.15 million. He has played with the Princeton Rays of the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
the Hudson Valley Renegades
Hudson Valley Renegades
The Hudson Valley Renegades are a minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is a member of the New York - Penn League, a Class A Short Season league. The Renegades play at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, NY....
, the Bowling Green Hot Rods
Bowling Green Hot Rods
The Bowling Green Hot Rods are a minor league baseball team in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They are a Class A team in the Midwest League, and have been a farm team of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 29, 2006...
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
, and the Charlotte Stone Crabs
Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Charlotte Stone Crabs are a minor league baseball team based in Port Charlotte, Florida. The team are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball team....
of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
.
Athletic profile
Beckham was rated by publications such as Baseball AmericaBaseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
as the top high school baseball prospect in the nation. Beckham is described as a potential five tool player at the major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
level. Beckham runs the 60 yard dash in 6.35 seconds, and bench presses 280 lbs. He stands 6'1" and weighs 190 lbs.
Early years
Beckham, the youngest son of Jimmy and Ella Beckham, grew up in the Crestview Heights neighborhood of Griffin, Georgia. He often played baseball in his yard with his older brothers Stephen and Jeremy. During his younger years Beckham was involved in footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. However, he quit baseball while in grade school to focus on football and basketball. Encouraged by his brothers, he got back into baseball, and began to excel. Jeremy introduced him to baseball coach Anthony Dye, who coached the Atlanta Blue Jays. Dye realized the potential Beckham possessed, and worked closely with him. Beckham was the shortstop for the Griffin JV baseball team as an eighth grader, and the varsity team at Griffin High School in as a freshman.
Freshman year
Beckham played right field, second base, and third baseThird Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
before settling in at the shortstop position his freshman year on the Griffin High varsity team. Beckham batted seventh in the batting order and hit four home runs on the season.
Sophomore year
On his first at-bat in as a sophomore, Beckham hit a home runHome run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. For the season he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.405 including five home runs, three triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and six doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. He also added 22 runs batted in and stole 15 bases
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
.
Junior year
During his junior season at Griffin, Beckham batted .512, including nine doubles, six triples, and six home runs. He also added 39 RBIs and stole 20 bases. Following the season, Beckham competed in the World Wood Bat Association 17-Under Summer Championship, in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Beckham impressed, and finished the tournament rated as the #1 prospect out of over 2,000 participants. Later that year, in August of , Beckham took home the MVP Honors at the Aflac Classic in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, the most prestigious high school scouting showcase. Beckham concluded the summer of 2007 having batted .409, including nine home runs, 15 doubles, eight triples, and 32 stolen bases, against the best competition in America, confirming his status as the top high school prospect.
Senior year
Beckham committed to the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
during his senior year, but maintained his intentions of entering the 2008 MLB Draft
2008 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008.-First round selections:* Did not sign...
. Through 24 games in his senior season, Beckham batted .500, with five home runs, nine doubles and three triples. Beckham also added 31 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.
Minor leagues
In 2011, Beckham was selected to the All-Star Futures GameAll-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
along with fellow Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
prospects Hak-Ju Lee and Matt Moore
Matt Moore (baseball)
Matthew Cody Moore is a pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He is considered the Rays second best prospect for 2011 by Baseball America.-High School:...
.