The Yankees dealt Joey Gallo to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday ahead of the MLB trade deadline in exchange for pitcher Clayton Beeter, who the Bombers surely hope has a better tenure in the Bronx than the struggling outfielder.
The right-handed Beeter currently ranks as the Dodgers’ No. 15 prospect, according to MLB.com, and was viewed as a steal when Los Angeles selected him in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft. The Texas Tech product, now 23, was regarded as one of the most dominant starters heading into the first day of the draft but fell down the board amid a multitude of injuries he sustained in college.
Before the start of his first season with the Red Raiders in December 2017, Beeter underwent Tommy John surgery and had a follow-up arthroscopic elbow procedure seven months later. He rebounded nicely as a redshirted sophomore, however, helping to lead Texas Tech to the 2019 College World Series semifinals with eight saves and four strong starts.
The Dodgers rewarded his impressive play with a $1,196,500 contract but held the righty to a strict innings count in his first season with the club. During his debut season in 2021, he threw just 52 ⅓ innings in 28 games, 27 of which were starts.
Beeter’s best weapon is his fastball, which tends to sit around 93-96 mph but, at times, can max out at 98 mph. His curveball, which is in the low-80 mph range, often stifles batters with its high-spin rate.
Of the 18 games pitched with Double-A Tulsa this season — 16 of which were starts — Beeter is 0-3 with a 5.75 ERA and 88 strikeouts.
