Beer Streaks Into Clemson Record Book

With an 0-for-3 game on a cold, windy day at Duke on April 9, Seth Beer’s 26-game hitting streak, the fourth longest in Clemson history, came to an end. The right fielder had drawn two walks and Clemson had rallied for a 3-2 victory, but for the first time since Opening Day against Maine, the freshman had been held hitless.

Chris Okey, Clemson’s Preseason All-American catcher who supplied the game-winning hit that day, wasn’t worried about how Beer would respond.

“Right now, he’s the most exciting player in college baseball, no doubt about it,” Okey said. “So for him to have the hitting streak end at 26 games, it was incredible first of all and I’m excited for his next one to start, because I know it’s going to be even longer. So it was good for us to get the win today, and I’m excited to see Seth Beer hit tomorrow.”

Beer did get a hit the next day, and while his next streak petered out at a modest two games, he has been one of the best hitters in the country this spring. Through mid-April, the 19-year-old was hitting .417/.540/.852 with 14 home runs. He was one homer off the national leaders, and led Clemson in nearly every offensive category.

Not bad for a player who was supposed to spend this spring in high school.

Beer graduated a semester early from Lambert High in Suwanee, Ga., and enrolled at Clemson for the spring semester. He instantly became a critical part of the Tigers’ offense for first-year coach Monte Lee. By the time Atlantic Coast Conference play began March 11, Beer was hitting cleanup.

Lee has been thrilled with the way Beer has played this spring.

“I think he’s the best hitter in the country,” Lee said. “When you look at when he swings the bat, he does damage. He hits the ball on the screws almost every time he hits it. When he takes a swing he takes his best swing. You never see him get cheated. He takes a good cut every time he swings the bat.

“He can hit early in the count, he can hit with two strikes. He’s extremely balanced. I think he’s the best hitter in the country. He’s got an unbelievable approach and he’s a dangerous guy because he can hit the ball out to any part of the ballpark.”

Beer hit .452 during his hitting streak, which ended 15 games short of Rusty Adkins’ school record 41-game hitting streak that spanned the 1965-66 seasons.

Beer said the only other time he has felt as good at the plate as he has this spring was during his sophomore year at Lambert. But he also knows that feeling can go away quickly, so he is trying to stay even-keeled at the plate.

“I’m just trying to go up there and do my job,” Beer said. “I’m not trying to put too much pressure on myself and just stay within myself because that’s the key right now for me, just stay within my approach and hit pitches that I can hit and not pitches that nobody can, so that’s a big part of it.”

Beer was a well-known prospect in high school, twice playing in the Under Armour All-America Game. As a result, he was widely seen by the college coaches who are now trying to formulate plans for getting him out.

Duke coach Chris Pollard said he knew Beer was a good player, but was blown away by how well he is playing this spring. He was especially impressed by Beer’s approach against righthander Jack Labosky in the first game of the series. Labosky has a good changeup, which fooled the heart of the Tigers’ lineup—except Beer. The freshman stayed on the pitch and drove it deep into center field for an out, though in most college stadiums it likely would have been a home run.

“I don’t know how he did that in that last at bat,” Pollard said. “The way the ball comes off his bat is very unique. I had no idea that ball would carry to center field like it did. It’s freakish. I don’t know another word to describe it.”

Budding Legend

Beer’s power has always been one of his best tools. He has the ability to drive the ball out to all fields, and he has already launched a few memorable home runs. He hit a walk-off homer to clinch a series victory against Boston College and launched a massive game-tying home run that cleared the scoreboard at Foley Field in Georgia. Clemson went on to win that game as well.

As the streak continued, Beer’s prominence rose. After his walk-off against Boston College, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, declared Beer the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) in a tweet.

Already, Beer is just one home run shy of matching Clemson’s freshman home run record, set in 1995 by Matthew LeCroy, and a run at Khalil Green’s school record 27 home runs is not out of the question. Beer is averaging a home run every 8.2 at bats, which would be another school record, passing the mark of 8.9 set in 1954 by Doug Kingsmore, whose name is now on Clemson’s stadium.

Lee is not shy in his praise for Beer’s play this spring.

“It’s the best 26 games of offense I’ve witnessed in my life,” Lee said. “Not only from any player that I’ve coached, but any player that I’ve coached against. I think it’s all about putting it in perspective. I’ve never seen a young man of whatever age put together 26 games like that. It’s unreal how good he is.”

There is, however, room for improvement. Beer remains a work-in-progress in the outfield. He has made three errors in 27 games in the outfield this season (.938 fielding percentage), and scouts believe he will likely play left field or first base as a professional.

Beer said he is also working on the mental side of the game, learning how to prepare for each at bat and read situations on defense.

“Because in high school, in summer ball, you just went up there and you went up swinging and you just tried to catch the ball in the outfield,” Beer said. “Just learning all that mental approach to almost every aspect of the game is a big part of it.”

As Beer’s hitting streak came to an end at Duke, Clemson was beginning to scuffle for the first time this season. It lost back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference series, falling to 24-12.

But the Tigers have high hopes for this season. They remain focused on trying to return to the College World Series for the first time since 2010, but know they will eventually reflect back on Beer’s historic streak.

“We’re going to look back at this year when it’s over, and I’m going to look at it and say, ‘That was a lot of fun watching him hit,’” Lee said. “He’s a great player and we’re awfully glad he plays for Clemson.”