photo: Chris Beck (Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals continue to add veteran free agent pitching depth at the upper levels of their minor league system. The latest addition is right-hander Chris Beck, signed to a minor league contract on Thursday, November 29. He joins hurlers Hunter Cervenka, Williams Perez, Harold Arauz, Mike Hauschild and Tommy Layne (re-signed), all added as minor league free agents this month.
Beck, 28, was the Chicago White Sox’ second-round pick in 2012 after pitching at Georgia Southern. Originally a starter, the Georgia native moved quickly, first reaching Triple-A in 2014. Beck reached his peak prospect ranking of number six in the Sox system prior to the 2014 season but was still their no. 16 prospect two years later, according to MLB Pipeline.
Beck made his one-game MLB cameo in the 2015 season and went on to pitch in 97 games out of Chicago’s bullpen through 2018, in between trips back to Triple-A. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder’s Major League ERA is 5.88, while his career Triple-A mark is 4.05. Free passes have been a problem in the bigs, with 75 (vs. 86 strikeouts) in 130 innings.
Last November, the Sox removed Beck from their 40-man roster, but he was not claimed in the Rule 5 draft. He remained with the organization, and before April 2018 was out, he was back in the majors. That only lasted about six weeks before the Sox outrighted him a second time, at which point he was claimed by the Mets, who added Beck to their major league roster.
Less than a month later, in July, the Mets had seen enough. In six appearances, Beck had a 5.23 ERA. He was outrighted again, and this time cleared waivers. Beck finished 2018 with the Mets’ Triple-A club in Las Vegas, where he posted an 8.15 ERA in 17 outings. He declared free agency following the World Series.
He becomes the second Beck in the Redbirds bullpen, joining Landon Beck, three years younger and also a Georgia native, though the two come from different schools and hometowns.
I have not yet confirmed if Chris Beck has received a non-roster invitation to Cardinals spring training camp, but given his experience, it seems likely.
Addendum
On The Cardinal Nation’s free message board, I was asked several questions as a result of these pitching free agent signings. Here are the questions with my replies.
Q: Why do the Cards want to sign these guys?
A: Minor league depth. The season-ending Memphis rotation was Chris Ellis, Kevin Herget, Jake Woodford and Austin Warner. Springfield’s team ERA for the entire 2018 season was almost five. In other words, the next wave of pitching pales in comparison to the last one.
Sure, St. Louis seems to have excess pitching, but what if they trade away two or three of them like they did last winter for Marcell Ozuna? What happens when another elbow or two blows up? By then, many minor league free agents could be gone.
If the new guys don’t cut it or others step up, they get released with little loss. Do you remember Nestor Molina last winter? How about Joe Colon? That is my point. They did not block anyone.
Q: And more perplexing, why would they see the Cardinals as an attractive team to sign with given our depth?
For these guys, finding a job is first and foremost. Trying to guess which teams may appear to have more openings before dozens of free agents are signed would be a crap shoot. Getting a contract is the goal. Cervenka and Perez were pitching for jobs in winter ball in Venezuela. There are no guarantees.
Despite all of St. Louis’ mound talent, journeymen like Preston Guilmet and Tyler Webb still got their shots in the majors last season because they took care of business while with Memphis.
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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
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