By Bryan Gaskins
Brandon Beachy is turning some heads in the Atlanta Braves’ organization.
A former undrafted free agent, Beachy is taking part in a spring mini-camp that features some of the Braves’ top minor leaguers and runs in conjunction with the big league camp. Beachy and the other prospects reported three weeks ahead of other minor leaguers.
“It’s going pretty well for me,” said Beachy, a Northwestern High School product. “I’m having a good time down here, I feel good and I’ve had pretty good results out of my bullpen sessions so far.”
Beachy is one of six pitchers in the mini-camp, which also includes five or six position players. The minor leaguers take turns serving as backups in spring training games. Beachy has dressed for a few games, but has not been called on yet. He explained he could see action if a pitcher is scheduled to go four innings and instead goes only three.
Beachy is the youngest minor leaguer in the mini-camp.
“It’s a good feeling, but I have to concentrate pretty hard on doing what I do and continuing to get better. Otherwise, all the attention I’m getting now won’t mean anything,” he said.
Beachy joined the Braves’ organization as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana Wesleyan University in July 2008. He went 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in limited work with a rookie league team that summer.
Beachy continued to pitch well in 2009, compiling a 4-3 record with one save and a 3.87 ERA in 76 2/3 innings of work spread over 35 appearances and three different teams. He showed excellent control, striking out 64 batters and walking only 19.
Beachy spent the bulk of his time with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans of the Class A Advanced Carolina League where his workload included eight starting assignments. He had worked exclusively out of the bullpen to that point.
“I enjoyed it,” he said, explaining that work as a regular starter forced him to develop his off-speed pitches. “I liked the routine of knowing when I was throwing. The tough thing about relieving is you never know when it’s going to be so I liked that [part of starting], but then again, having four days off to think about your last outing is not always a good thing.”
Beachy’s strong work in 2009 led to a break in his career — an invitation to a postseason instructional camp for promising minor leaguers last fall at the Braves’ training complex in Florida. He was one of 18 pitchers in the camp.
The Braves had individual plans in place for the players in the camp.
“I was forced to throw a lot of changeups and really work on throwing that for a strike and being able to throw it in any count. By the end of the fall, it really helped me a lot. It became a weapon for me that I could use quite often,” he said.
“I’m just trying to get that back right now. Changeup is such a feel pitch and after not throwing for a few months in the offseason to rest up, it just takes some time to get the feel back. It’s still there, it’s just not as consistent as it was then, but with time, it will be right where it want it to be again.”
Beachy also has a solid curveball in his arsenal.
Beachy has come a long way in a short time. He pitched just a little in high school — he was a slugging third baseman who occasionally worked as a hard-throwing stopper on the mound. He pitched more in college, but has since transformed his mechanics and approach.
“I have a lot to learn still,” he said. “I’ve learned a ton over the past year. I’m just looking to continue to do that, especially looking up to the older guys in the organization that I’ve been in a position to meet and talk to. I’ve tried to soak up their routines and what they do. It’s really helped me out.
“And physically, I’m fresh. My arm has not been abused in the past like so many guys who were great high school pitchers, who pitched a ton of innings in high school and threw every weekend all summer long. I look at it as I was lucky to skip all that.”
Beachy is a candidate to start the 2010 season at the Double A or Triple A level. He expects to learn his assignment at the end of spring training.
