SF Giants DFA Tyler Beede

On Thursday, the San Francisco Giants designated right-handed starter Tyler Beede for assignment, ending his run with the only major league franchise he has known. The 28-year old has had a rocky four-year career in the Show. With only two starts after being brought up in 2018, he was sent to the Giants’ AAA team in Sacramento. Brought back in 2019, he showed the same dazzle that he displayed at Vanderbilt and finished the season with a 5.08 over 22 starts and 117 innings pitched.

But the celebratory air was short-lived, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in spring of 2020 and came back to pitch only one inning in 2021. He has had a good start to the 2022 season, throwing 4.66 over 9.2 innings in relief, but with the contracted rosters coming into force last week, the Giants can no longer afford to carry him.

He bears no ill-will to the team though, saying, “I love the organization. I love the direction that they’re heading in. I want to be a part of a winning organization and a ballclub. The tough part is kind of the uncertainty of where I’ll be. I know the history of the organization and the trajectory that they’re on. I know they’re going to be successful and wish them the best of luck. It’s tough.”

The Giants have created the space on the roster for reliever Zack Littell, who has just come off the covid injured list. Beede appreciates the fact that the Giants gave him April, when they could have cut him pre-season. “Honestly, it’s been a great month. I thanked them for that. This decision could have been made a month ago. I’ve been so appreciative.”

Initially drafted out of high school in the first round,21st overall, by the Toronto Blue Jays, Beede chose to turn down the $2.5 million signing bonus and attend college instead. He had a standout career as a Vanderbilt Commodore and helped them win the College World Series in his junior year.

Out of college, he went first round again, 14th overall, to the San Francisco Giants. He has shown flashes of brilliance, and looked to have a breakout year ahead of him before Tommy John surgery barred his progress. One thing that Gabe Kapler is sure of, though, is that he will be back in the Show. “It’s tough that we haven’t been able to kind of access Tyler’s best performance as a San Francisco Giant thus far. He’s enormously talented. I don’t think that catches anybody off guard. He’s been 96 to 98 since he’s been back with us, and he’s thrown more strikes. He has taken some steps forward in that regard. His delivery looks good. Every coach on our staff, all of his teammates in the entire organization, want to see him have success. It just hasn’t worked out thus far.”

Given his pedigree, it is almost certain that someone will claim Beede on waivers. If they unlock his potential, it could be the start of great things to come.