One of the more bantered about arms in the Mets organization, Beaulac was taken in the ninth round of the 2008 draft as a part of the Mets’ new draft philosophy of taking small college arms seemingly early and often. In Savannah, Beaulac has posted a stellar 2.97 FIP with 10.26 K/9. At 22, he’s a bit old for the Sally, but does this affect his prospect status?

Physique and Athleticism: At 6′5″, 190 lbs., Beaulac is long and lean. Beaulac’s lack of size through the shoulders and waist leaves me wondering just how difficult it will be for him to bring his weight up to increase his durability. As an athlete, Beaulac appears average to a bit above. However, he has some difficulty repeating his delivery which has led to spotty command at times.

Mound Presence: Watching Beaulac pitch can be a bit of a roller coaster ride. He has a bit of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde about him as he will go 91-93-91 in blowing away Red Sox prospect Ryan Lavarnway and then struggle to locate his repertoire versus a lesser offensive threat. While this can be said about most players at this level, his being almost 23 brings a greater sense of urgency to his development versus a Kyle Allen (19) who has a similar repertoire. While I haven’t spoken to Beaulac personally, I hear he’s a tremendous young man and a very hard worker so I wouldn’t bet against him.

Fastball: With inconsistent velocity, I’ve seen Beaulac’s fastball as low as 86 MPH and has high as 93 MPH. When sitting behind a radar gun, Beaulac will work 89 consistently with the occasional 90+ offering. The pitch lacks movement, and he is “wild in the zone.” While it leads to longer at bats and higher pitch counts, the fact opposing hitters are unable to dig in against him works in his favor.

Slider: At 78-83, Beaulac’s slider also comes with varying velocity although he normally works in the low 80’s. At times, the pitch flashes plus with downward biting movement away from righties when kept down in the zone. When left up, the pitch will flatten out considerably. The slider is what’s responsible for the significant number of strikeouts Beaulac has racked up on the season.

Change Up: At 78-84 MPH, Beaulac’s change is no different than the rest of his repertoire as it pertains to velocity differences. It’s a distant third pitch in effectiveness and is mixed in only when his other offerings are lacking. Without much movement, or command, it’s what ultimately leads me to believe Beaulac’s future home will be in the pen.

On paper, Beaulac has been borderline dominant. In actuality, his success has been a major product of a slider which is simply too much for younger competition. At one point, I understand Beaulac, himself, requested a move to the bullpen and apparently feels it’s his quickest way to New York, and I would agree. Used more frequently and in shorter spurts, I suspect Beaulac’s velocity may stabilize, and he could rely on sharpening what could be a very effective two-pitch mix.

Comparing Eric Beaulac and teammate Kyle Allen is a good example of the importance of age versus level amongst prospects. If Beaulac were 19 like Allen, we would be talking a surefire top-12 prospect within the Mets organization. With his being older, however, his prospect stock takes a significant hit and leaves him in the periphery of the Mets’ top-20.

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