Austin Becker has had the luxury of growing up with a father who played professional baseball. A 6-foot-6, 185-pound prep right-hander, Becker’s father, Kevin, played four seasons in the minor leagues in the early 1990s, reaching Class A-Advanced.
“He’s taught me a lot about the game,” Austin Becker said. “But most importantly, he’s helped me with the mental side of the game and facing adversity. … Just learning how to pitch has been another big thing.”
Austin Becker could soon follow in his father’s footsteps, who jumped straight into pro ball out of high school. A Vanderbilt commit, Becker is a well-regarded prospect for the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Becker has also had in-home visits with pro teams, as they try to get to know him before the draft.
“I’m just trying to stay as grounded as possible,” he said. “You hear all about how hard guys are throwing and stuff like that. I just try to let it go in one ear and out the other. Just be a normal person.”
Over the summer, Becker displayed his skills in showcase events, including the Perfect Game All-American Classic and the East Coast Pro. A Sunbury, Ohio native, Becker has frontline starter potential, due to his size and projection.
A lanky right-hander, Becker has a three-pitch mix, featuring a four-seam fastball, circle changeup and curveball.
His fastball sits in the low-90s and has reached as high as 96 mph in the past. His secondary pitches are still a work in progress, but Becker is happy with how they’ve progressed.
“I’ve really worked on my changeup recently,” he said. “My changeup was working in the All-American game, and I threw a couple of curveballs for strikes as well.”
Becker said he plans on taking some time off to rest his arm after the WWBA Tournament in October. He won’t start preparing for his senior season of baseball until February.
What areas does Becker want to improve on before his final season of high school baseball?
“Getting ahead in counts and pitching in the stretch,” he said. “Maintaining my stuff in the stretch.”
Stay tuned to The3rdManIn.com for more 2018 MLB Draft coverage.
Find more MLB Draft coverage here.
