Gordon Beckham
From BR Bullpen
James Gordon Beckham
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
- School University of Georgia
- High School The Westminster School (Atlanta)
- Debut June 4, 2009
- Born September 16, 1986 in Atlanta, GA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Gordon Beckham was a first-round pick of the 2008 amateur draft. Oddly, he was not even the first shortstop named Beckham from Georgia taken in the draft as Tim Beckham went first.
Beckham was a football and baseball star in high school. He hit .456 as a senior in high school. As a college freshman, Gordon batted .280/.348/.490 with 12 home runs and played in the 2006 College World Series. Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball named him as a freshman All-American. On the Baseball America team, he joined Justin Smoak, Jemile Weeks and Pedro Alvarez on the first-team infield. All would go in the first 12 picks of the 2008 draft.
The shortstop hit .307/.399/.570 with 19 doubles and 13 homers as a sophomore. In his junior year, he batted .411/.519/.804, stole 17 bases in 21 tries (caught the last 3 times), scored 97 runs and drove in 77 in 71 games and set a Georgia record with 28 home runs to win Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors. He was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. He set a Georgia record with 53 career homers, the 52nd coming in Game one of the finals of the 2008 College World Series. He tied Matthew Clark for the NCAA Division I lead in home runs. He most the 2008 CWS All-Tournament Team at shortstop as Georgia finished second.
The Chicago White Sox took Beckham with the 8th pick of the 2008 amateur draft. He debuted on August 15 for the Kannapolis Intimidators and went 3 for 4 with a walk, double and 2 runs in a fine start to his pro career. By spring training of 2009, he was being identified as on a fast track to the major leagues, and there was talk of his starting the year with the White Sox. That did not happen, but he confirmed his lofty status by making his debut with the Pale Hose in early June. However, he had trouble getting his bearings at that level, going hitless in his first two games, and only 2 for 22 in his first 6.
