Right fielder Dylan Beavers looks to lead Cal’s offense
BERKELEY, Calif. — The California Golden Bears baseball team is in the midst of its off-season workouts in preparation for the 2022 season. Competing in the powerhouse PAC-12, Cal has strides to make in order to win a conference championship for the first time since it shared a crown with Arizona in 1980. Following a season which ended with Cal finishing seventh in its conference, there is promise that the upcoming season will bring more success.
The Golden Bears’ return to the top of the PAC-12 is going to rely on all facets of its game, including its offense. Its production on this side of the ball will be led by the junior right fielder, Dylan Beavers. After an explosive sophomore season, the young slugger earned PAC-12 first team and All-American honors, slashing a .303 batting average, .401 on-base percentage and .630 slugging with 18 home runs and 49 RBI.
Beavers is the team’s leadoff hitter and he brings a powerful approach to a spot in the lineup conventionally designated for hitters that are skilled at getting on base more so than their ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Beavers has proven that he can do both arguably better than anyone else in the PAC-12.
In recent years, baseball has revolutionized itself in many respects. Prioritizing power and on-base percentage at the top of the lineup is one aspect of the evolution in the game, an aspect that Beavers fits the mold for. Examples of power-hitting leadoff hitters in the Major Leagues today include Kyle Schwarber, George Springer, Mike Moustakas and Carlos Santana.
What teams have learned by these hitters’ success is that such a player at the top of a lineup provides enormous value. This is why Major League scouts are already considering Beavers to be a potential first-round selection in the 2022 draft. When the time comes for scouts to fill Cal’s Evans Diamond, Beavers’ remarkable ability in the leadoff role may inspire many to believe him to follow the example set by the names aforementioned.
Before draft day arrives, though, Beavers and the California Golden Bears have work to do, as the PAC-12 Conference has proven itself to be stacked with College World Series hopefuls year after year. The last time Cal took a trip to Omaha was during its magical 2011 run which helped save the program from being cut by the university’s athletic department. Perhaps Beavers will provide the spark at the top of the lineup to get the Golden Bears back to the top of the PAC 12, and possibly the College World Series.
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