Dodgers select Texas Tech righty Clayton Beeter No. 66 overall

With the 66th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Clayton Beeter, a right-hander out of Texas Tech.

Due to injuries, including Tommy John surgery, Beeter spent his first season at Texas Tech as a redshirt freshman in the bullpen. He was wild at times but still effective, racking up 40 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings, but also issuing 20 walks.

To kick off this season, Beeter joined the Red Raiders' rotation, and he unexpectedly added velocity. Prior to the NCAA campaign getting shut down, he showed his three-plus offerings could get results - even, and potentially especially, as a starter

Los Angeles received the 66th pick from the Twins in February as part of the trade that sent Kenta Maeda to Minnesota.

Bio

Age: 21
Position: RHP
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 220 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
School: Texas Tech

Tools

• Fastball (93-96 mph, up to 98 mph)
• Curveball (60-grade)
• Slider (60-grade)
• Changeup (50-grade)

Why you're going to love this guy

• Deceptive delivery with understanding of how to tunnel pitches
• Took huge leap in 2020
• All-American as a redshirt freshman
• Showed improved trust of pitches as starter, throwing each one for strikes
• Didn't make any mechanical changes to delivery while moving from bullpen to rotation
• Impressive spin rates on fastball, curveball

Things he'll need to overcome

• Lack of track record
• Injury history (Tommy John in 2017, arthroscopic elbow procedure in 2018)

2020 stats

Take a look ...

(Video source: Perfect Game)