Drew Beam played a crucial role in Tennessee’s pitching squad during their journey to win the College World Series. Now, the right-handed pitcher aims to contribute to the rising Kansas City Royals.
Beam was among the early picks on the second day of Major League Baseball’s amateur draft, selected by the Royals with the 76th overall pick in the third round. Day 2 of the draft covered rounds three to ten.
On Sunday, Australian second baseman Travis Bazzana was chosen as the top overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians.
Players selected on Monday, especially those in the early rounds, are expected to receive significant contracts when they sign. The first pick of the third round, Rutgers infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, was picked by the Athletics, with an estimated slot value of just over $1 million for the 75th selection.
College players remained more popular among MLB teams compared to high school prospects, with 23 third-round picks coming from four-year universities and six from high schools. In the fourth round, 27 out of 30 selections were from college programs.
Wake Forest had two more players, pitchers Josh Hartle and Michael Massey, drafted on Monday following three earlier picks in the first round.
Beam was one of eight Tennessee players chosen in the draft’s first two days.
As Tennessee’s mainstay pitcher, Beam achieved a 9-2 record with a 4.22 ERA, striking out 99 batters over 102 1/3 innings, the highest on the team. He allowed only two runs across nine innings in two outings at the College World Series.
In the fifth round, the Royals also selected another Tennessee pitcher, A.J. Causey.
