Clark Beeker - 2017

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Clark Beeker is a right-handed starting pitcher for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. 

 

Beeker, 24, was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2016 draft out of Davidson College. Beeker was a fifth-year senior coming off his strongest season; he suffered an injury early in his sophomore season which caused him to red shirt. In a good interview with Twins Daily writer Seth Stohs, Beeker called that injury a blessing in disguise. 

 

More from that interview with Beeker can be read here.

 

I also stumbled upon some other interesting nuggets: Beeker attended the same high school as Chattanooga second baseman Levi Michael, and in college once pitched against Chattanooga center fielder Tanner English, who was playing for nationally ranked University of South Carolina program. 

 

In his senior season at Davidson, Beeker made 15 starts, two of which were complete game shutouts. He finished with 9-4 with a 2.55 ERA his that season. After signing with the Twins, he pitched mainly in relief for rookie affiliate GCL before making two starts for Elizabethton to conclude his season.

 

Beeker throws four pitches. He has a slider, curve and change which he is comfortable throwing in any count, and a fastball that sat 90-ish after he reported to GCL last summer. Beeker's college BB9 rate was below 2.00 and his K/9 was a slightly above 6.00, indicating a pitcher with very good control who lives in the strike zone.

 

However, Beeker struck out 52 in his 43.2 innings in rookie ball last season, a rate far higher than his college strikeout rate. 

 

Beeker makes his season debut tonight for Cedar Rapids (2-2) versus the Kane County Cougars (4-0) in Geneva, Ill. First pitch 6:30 PM. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Cedar Rapids lost to Kane County, 2-0, in Beeker's first start.

 

Beeker's line tonight:

• 7 IP, 8 hits, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

As Jeremy Nygaard wrote, the Kernels simply could not string together enough hits or collect any extra base hits tonight. 

 

Other notes:

• According to Gameday's game play tracker, several of the hits off Beeker came on the first pitch of the at bat;
• The home run Beeker surrendered was to Jasrado Chisholm, a heavy-hitting, highly regarded young shortstop in the Diamondback's system;
• Again according to Gameday, Beeker retired outfielder Luis Silverio on a line drive that was scored 1-4-3: "Silverio lines out, pitcher Clark Beeker to second baseman Brandon Lopez to first baseman Lewin Diaz. 2 out"

If anyone has video of that play, the rest of us would love to see it!

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker's second start was Monday night, April 17. Cedar Rapids defeated Peoria 8-2, tallying single runs in six of the first eight innings before Aaron Whitefield capped the scoring with a two-run home run in the ninth. 

 

Beeker's line:

 

• 7.2 IP, 7 hits, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO

 

Beeker threw 98 pitches, 72 strikes, 6:5 GB:FB, facing 30 batters. The nine strikeouts was a surprise, and many of them came in the later innings. The play by play on MiLB doesn't indicate that Beeker was ever in much trouble (never had a bases loaded, for example). 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Cedar Rapids rode a 5-run second inning to an easy 11-2 win back on April 23 (Sunday afternoon game).

 

Beeker's line:

 

• 7 IP, 8 hits, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

 

Beeker worked out of some jams early, but finished well. He had no walks but did have 3 hit batsman. He left the game after the 7th, at 93 pitches. 

 

His fourth start is scheduled to be in Peoria this weekend. 

[Mike Sixel]

He might be better than low A hitters....

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I think so. Most of the guys at Cedar Rapids look like promotion candidates at some point.

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Rain and storms swept the Midwest Sunday, but Cedar Rapids managed to get in 5 innings of a double header at Peoria before the rest of the afternoon was washed out. The Kernels won, 1-0. Clark Beeker pitched the five innings. 

 

• 5 IP, 1 hit, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

 

Beeker allowed a line drive single with two outs in the first, then retired the next 13 batters before the game was called final. The game was also delayed an hour at the start. 

 

Cedar Rapids begins a six game home stand on Tuesday. Beeker's next start figures to be the Saturday evening game

 

[goulik]

Nice, a complete game shutout. Jack Morris must be so pleased!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Cedar Rapids defeated the Fort Wayne TinCaps this afternoon, 4-1.

 

Beeker was in full control. Fort Wayne never got anything going against him, except for maybe running up his pitch count.

 

• 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO

 

Beeker came out after six innings and 97 pitches, 22 batters faced. 

[Mike Sixel]

I'm hoping for a promotion after 2 more starts like this. He's just too good for A ball players at this point.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Here is Beeker's MiLB page and a screen grab of his first five starts:

 

 

Beeker has faced 127 batters and has a respectable 7.16 K/9 and 20.5% K rate. His first five starts put him within the top ten best starters in the 16-team Midwest League so far (there are a few guys in other orgs really dominating, however). 

 

You could also argue that Beeker's worst inning so far in 2017 was the first inning of the first game, when he gave up three hits, a walk, and a run. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker pitched on May 13, in a 7-5 win over Bowling Green.

 

Beeker's line:

 

• 6 IP, 6 hits, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

 

Beeker pitched well. Cedar Rapids jumped out to a 7-0 lead before the bottom of the 2nd inning, and Beeker allowed just two runs on four hits through the first six innings. 

 

A light hitting catcher hit his second home run of the game off of Beeker with two on base in the bottom of the 7th, chasing Beeker to the showers. 

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Beeker pitched on May 19, in a 9-2 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

 

Cedar Rapids trailed 3-1 when Beeker left the game after the seventh. 

 

His pitching line:

 

• 7 IP, 4 hits, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

 

Beeker retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced. However, it is the second straight game he has allowed multiple home runs. His next start is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, versus the Clinton LumberKings.

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The Kernels were felled by the LumberKings, 3-2, yesterday afternoon.

 

Beeker left the game after the sixth, but did not figure in the decision.

 

• 6 IP, 6 hits, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

 

According to MiLB, Beeker committed a throwing error in the 6th inning after fielding a sacrifice bunt. On the next batter, Beeker fielded another bunt and retired the lead baserunner at third. Beeker also picked off a baserunner at first base in the game. 

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Beeker pitched on May 29 versus Kane County. The Kernels lost 3-2. 

 

Beeker's line:

 

• 6 IP, 5 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 So

 

He faced 25 batters on 93 pitches. It was Beeker's third appearance against Kane County.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker was the starting pitcher June 3 in a 10-inning road loss to Burlington. 

 

Beeker's line that evening:

 

• 7 IP, 5 hits, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

 

Beeker retired the final 11 batters he faced, but had reached 99 pitches after seven.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker started on June 9 at home versus Burlington. The Kernels won, 15-5, staking Beeker and Cedar Rapids to a five-run lead after the first inning. Beeker pitched with a lead the entire game, and the four runs he surrendered came off of two 2-run home runs.

 

His line:

 

• 6 IP, 5 hits, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

 

The day previous, Beeker had been named to the Midwest League All Star Game. Congrats to him for a very good first half of 2017.

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker started June 15 in Quad Cities in a 5-4 loss.

 

His line:

 

• 4.2 IP, 8 hits, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

 

Beeker was at 102 pitches when he was removed.

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker pitched 2/3 of an inning in the Midwest League All Star game, allowing a line drive double and two ground ball outs to three batters.

 

He is scheduled to resume his spot in the Cedar Rapids rotation Sunday June 25.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker has made four starts since the Midwest League All Star game.

 

June 25, at Quad Cities:

• 5.2 IP, 6 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 22 batters faced

 

July 1 at Clinton: 

• 6 IP, 6 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 24 batters faced

 

July 7 vs. Peoria:

• 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 23 batters faced

 

July 14 at W. Michigan:

• 5 IP, 4 hits, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 22 batters faced

 

Obviously these are all very good stat lines. Beeker's control has held pretty well as the season has worn on and he's seen teams the second and third time through. Just as important, Beeker has not surrendered a home run in his four latest starts, something he has been prone to do at times. 

 

His top line season stats to date: 8-3, 2.66 ERA  (link)

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker pitched six shutout innings in a Cedar Rapids 8-5 win over Lansing yesterday afternoon. (Lansing scored 5 runs in the 8th off of the bullpen.)

 

• 6.0 IP, 4 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 3 SO

 

Beeker also hit a batter. In the following inning, Lansing beaned the Cedar Rapids batter who had hit a grand slam earlier, leading to some ejections against Lansing. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Clark Beeker was promoted to high A+ and makes his Ft. Myers debut tomorrow night. Congratulations on a deserved promotion. 

 

 

*I have resisted commenting on his 33 innings scoreless streak so as not to jinx it

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Beeker pitched six innings in his Ft. Myers debut Aug. 19:

 

• 6 IP, 8 hits, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

 

HIs second appearance for Ft. Myers on Aug. 24, he got pummeled: 

 

• 4.0 IP, 13 hits, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

 

In the third inning, Beeker surrendered 5 runs and threw 45 pitches.  

 

Last night was Beeker's third Ft. Myers appearance, and probably his final appearance for the regular season. His stat line was ok. 

 

• 5 IP, 6 hits, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO

 

In his three starts, Beeker has a 7.80 ERA, a WHIP over 2., and his BB/SO ratios are a little shaky. 

 

Ft. Myers figures to clinch a playoff spot and play a three game series versus the Charlotte Stone Crabs next week. Beeker could be in line for one of those starts.