MLB Draft 2017: Athletics select Austin Beck with sixth overall pick

With the sixth pick in the draft, the Athletics have selected Austin Beck from North Davidson High School in Lexington, North Carolina. In mock drafts, Beck was projected to go 9th by MLB.com, 9th by Baseball America, and 6th by ESPN.

To say that Beck is a powerhouse at the plate is to do him a great disservice. He’s not just a a great hitter, he’s the “put the team on his back and then some” type of hitter. In his final high school game, Beck hit three homers and drove in every single run for North Davidson that game. It’s no wonder the Phillies, Athletics and Braves are hot on the outfielder’s trail.

As with all high school prospects, Beck is at a disadvantage when it comes to competing on a higher level. While his bat is pretty mighty with the 18-year old crowd, it’s still uncertain how he’ll perform on an elevated playing field. Yet, that seems to be the only warning label the outfielder comes with, save for a minor lingering injury that, given the look of his swing, isn’t much of a concern. There’s but no doubt about his power or potential. Beck has a strong swing and his maturity behind the plate is mouthwatering to major league hitting coaches everywhere. He could use some work hitting balls that are lower in the strike zone as his bread and butter is anything torso length, but his control is solid.

Peep some of Beck’s hitting chops here:

For more on Beck, check out Chris Cotillo’s Q&A with him here.