Coming into the 2019 season, Matt Beaty was added to the Dodgers’ forty man roster to avoid being eligible for the rule five draft. Now Beaty is earning a longer stay.
Last winter the Dodgers had to make the call on several rule five eligible prospects. The soon to be twenty-six-year-old Matt Beaty was one of the prospects that the Dodgers chose to add despite not being among the club’s top prospects. In order for Beaty to get the call in 2019, it would take an array of injuries.
Then free agent prize A.J. Pollock was placed on the injured list due to his infected elbow and Matt got the first call-up of his career. Despite a demotion in between his first two call-ups, Matt Beaty has gotten a longer look than expected in Los Angeles and he is earning an extended stay with the Dodgers. While he may not be a flashy player, Beaty just keeps collecting hits and playing wherever he is asked to.
In the minors, while he has not hit for much power but he did enjoy a powerful 2017 season with the Tulsa Drillers where he hit fifteen home runs and posted a .505 slugging percentage. The one thing he has always done is hit for average, with a career minor league average of .308. The only thing Matt Beaty has yet to show in the majors is his ability to draw walks, failing to record a single walk so far.
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Beaty can play first base, third base, and the corner outfield spots if necessary. He collected three more base hits on Wednesday night and is now hitting .303 with the Dodgers. While the Dodgers have a deep bench, the team does not have a left-handed hitter on the bench except for games when a left-handed batter like Joc Pederson starts the game on the bench.
This is exactly where Matt Beaty can find his niche on the very deep and talented roster that the Dodgers have. He can become the Dodgers’ main left-handed pinch hitter while also checking the versatility boxes that Andrew Friedman loves to see in his reserves. If Enrique Hernandez continues to slump against right-handed pitching then Beaty will only get more playing time.
Wednesday night the Dodgers started Beaty at first base and Max Muncy at second base against the right-handed flamethrower Noah Syndergaard. Unless Chris Taylor starts mashing righties or Hernandez turns his season around, Matt Beaty could get a lot more playing time than anyone expected in 2019. It’s been a long road for Matt but he has earned this extended look in Los Angeles.