Baseball Profiles: Mike Beams worked 8 seasons in Astros, Red Sox systems

Friday, March 29, 2024

Mike Beams worked 8 seasons in Astros, Red Sox systems

Taken by the Astros in the 10th round of the 1986 draft, Mike Beams was ready to get to work, he told The Orlando Sentinel.

"I have confidence in my ability," Beams told The Sentinel then. "I know I can do the job, and I'm going to keep working."

Beams started with the Astros that year in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He then kept working over eight campaigns. He topped out at AA.

Beams' career began that year in 1986, taken by the Astros out of Lake Brantley High School in Florida.

Beams saw 27 games with the GCL Astros in 1986 and hit .209. He then returned there for 1987, where he hit .180 in 46 games.

He played 1988 between single-A Asheville and short-season Auburn, then all of 1989 at Asheville. He hit .239, with 15 home runs in 118 games that year.

For 1990, Beams arrived at high-A Osceola. Early that August, he hit home runs in three-consecutive games, The Sentinel wrote. He hit nine all year.

"I wasn't thinking home run. Those things just come when you hit the ball solidly," Beams told The Sentinel then of his good fortune. "I'm pretty much a gap hitter. I like to hit for doubles."

Beams got traded to the Red Sox for 1991 and played at AA New Britain. He then stayed there for 1992. He hit .203 and .221.

He returned again for 1993 and hit a crucial pinch-hit home run that June, with his wife and family in attendance, The Hartford Courant wrote.

"It's definitely a big thrill," Beams told The Courant then. "I didn't think about the family at all while I was at bat. The smile came on my face when I rounded third base and saw (New Britain manager Jim Pankovits) looking at me with a big grin."

Beams saw 84 games for New Britain in 1993 and hit .236. That season marked his last season as a pro.