Marcus McBeth Stats & Scouting Report

AB	831
AVG	.241
OBP	.318
SLG	.375
HR	19

Full name Marcus Andre McBeth
Born 08/23/1980 in Spartanburg, SC
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School South Carolina
Debut 06/06/2007
Drafted in the 4th round (131st overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2001.

View Draft Report

McBeth is one of the best center fielders in the draft. His 6.6-second speed in the 60-yard dash allows him to cover lots of ground. He might have the best outfield arm in the nation and has made just three errors in three years. He's a talented athlete who returned kicks for South Carolina's football team as a freshman. McBeth had 15 homers entering regionals after swatting just 10 in his first two years. His one drawback is his bat. He hasn't approached .300 as a collegian because he lacks plate discipline and pitch recognition. Some scouts believe he should try pitching, speculating he could throw 92-94 mph.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

McBeth ranked seventh on this list in 2002--as a center fielder. A former kick returner on South Carolina's football team, he long has been one of the A's top athletes and always had well-above-average arm strength. After he hit .233 in three pro seasons, he moved to the mound in 2005 and ranked fifth in the minors in saves in 2006. Though he's relatively new to pitching, McBeth's athleticism has helped him made rapid strides. His changeup has become a plus pitch in short order and rates as the organization's best. He plays it off a 95-96 mph fastball that jumps out of his hand. His mid-80s slider has become an average pitch, even above-average at times. One A's official said McBeth's best attribute is his competitive fire. McBeth at times will miss up in the strike zone with his changeup and slider. He needs to locate his changeup better against lefthanders. With more mound time, his ability to set hitters up should improve. McBeth will get the opportunity to join the Oakland bullpen in 2007. His power stuff would fit in well between set-up man Justin Duchscherer and closer Huston Street.
The 2003 season was an exercise in frustration for the most athletic player in the system. After a disastrous start in high Class A, McBeth reported to extended spring training for a hitting tutorial. It took him a while to find a groove at low Class A Kane County, and shortly after he did he broke his right index finger diving for a fly ball. A former kick returner at South Carolina, McBeth is an outstanding center fielder with tremendous arm strength and foot speed. His problem has been making hard contact at the plate. He showed dramatic improvement during instructional league in 2002, seeming to conquer his propensity for swinging at pitches out of the zone. However, once the 2003 season began, his control of the strike zone disintegrated. He has raw power potential but has been unable to tap into it. There's some thought that McBeth should be moved to the mound to utilize an arm that grades as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. For now, he'll take a second crack at high Class A as an outfielder.
McBeth returned kicks for the football team and played center field for the baseball team at South Carolina. He signed late in 2001 and when he arrived in instructional league, the A's discovered a separation in his left shoulder. The injury affected his swing, and he has worked to strengthen his shoulder during the past year. McBeth has four standout tools. He's an outstanding center fielder who could handle defensive responsibilities in the majors today. His arm grades out as a legitimate 8 on the 2-to-8 scouting scale, and he has exceptional speed. He has shown impressive raw power in college and the pros, but McBeth has never put up impressive numbers. The shoulder separation may have been part of the problem, but he also had a lackluster 2002. He was the A's most improved hitter during instructional league, showing better pitch recognition and plate discipline. The A's hope McBeth will develop into a leadoff hitter, learning to reach base so he can use his speed. He'll start 2003 in high Class A and could advance to Double-A later in the season.
A former return specialist for the South Carolina football team, McBeth might have been the best defensive outfielder in college baseball last spring. He almost returned to the Gamecocks for his senior season, then signed just before classes began and reported to instructional league. After wowing the organization with his plus speed, arm and defensive instincts, not to mention his power potential, McBeth found out he had a separation in his non-throwing shoulder. The injury kept him out of hitting workouts the rest of the fall. The A's hope weight work will strengthen the shoulder and allow full extension on his swing. McBeth's drawback in college was that he didn't hit for average and stuck out too much, faults Oakland blames partly on his shoulder ailment. A lack of plate discipline and pitch recognition also were factors. Nicknamed "Shakespeare" for obvious reasons, he's considered intelligent. The A's would like him to develop at the plate so they could use his speed and baserunning skills in the leadoff spot. He should surface in high Class A in 2002.

Minor League Top Prospects

McBeth continued one of the most intriguing turnaround stories in the minors this season, reaching Triple-A in his first full season as a pitcher. Drafted by the Athletics as an outfielder in 2001, he turned to pitching in 2005 after a career .233 average kept him from getting out of Class A. On the mound, he has shown not only the stuff but also the makeup to be a successful reliever. He throws a fastball that tops out at 94-96 mph, and he backs it up with a slider that's particularly tough on righthanders. A's pitching instructor Ron Romanick also taught him a changeup that has become a put-away pitch because he does such a good job of maintaining his arm speed. He has also worked on a two-seam fastball that could become an out pitch if he can learn to control it. McBeth challenges hitters. He needs to refine his command, but he should be no worse than a setup man and has the raw stuff to close games if he continues to make strides.