Mound Talk

Drafted 13th overall in the 2007 draft by the Cleveland Indians, Beau Mills has made a big splash early in his professional career. He’s already garnering attention as one of the best prospects in the game by some but being watched more cautiously by others. Regardless, Mills has established himself as a big time prospect in just 245 professional at-bats.

Mills was drafted out of Lewis-Clark State, an NAIA school. He played two seasons at Fresno State before transferring for academic reasons. He played in the Alaskan Summer League in 2006 where he was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America. At Lewis-Clark State, Mills had a vital line of .458/.556/1.033.

The 6-foot-3, 220 pounder made his debut for the Indians with their affiliate in the New York-Penn League, Mahoning Valley. In eight games he initially struggled posting a .179/.303/.250 line that included just two extra base hits. He then moved up to Low-A, Lake City where he hit .271/.333/.435 in 44 games. He recorded 48 hits, 18 of which were for extra bases. Finally, the Indians moved him to High-A, Kinston where he had seven extra base hits in 40 at-bats.

At The Plate
Mills is expected to ascend to to the big leagues in a hurry thanks to his bat. Though his main attribute, and most obvious, is his power, Mills is more than just a slugger at the plate. He possesses plus power with the ability to drive the ball to any part of the field. Many younger players struggle with this aspect of hitting and for that reason, struggle in their advancement. Mills has a tremendous ability to see the pitch and work with it. This only adds to his power and ability at the plate.

Marginal concerns exist about his ability to hit for average. He doesn’t hit a tremendous amount of line drives but has a good swing. His swing has a natural uppercut to it and he does a great job of keeping his body together as he swings. He is a bit aggressive which can lead to strikeouts. Ultimately, Mills has a good swing, keeps the bat in the zone and takes a great approach to hitting. His ability to hit for average will likely be determined by his increased discipline at the plate.

Mills is not a base stealing threat but won’t hurt his team on the bases. He’s smart and has a great “Baseball IQ.”

In The Field
Mills was a third baseman who occasionally caught while in college. The Indians have been moving him between first, third and designated hitter. He will likely end up being a full time first baseman before too long due to his weak arm strength. A shoulder injury limits his mobility and he throws in an almost shot put fashion. He has average-to-below-average range at third. He profiles better as a first baseman and should see more time there next season.

Looking Forward
Mills’ father, Brad Mills, is the Boston Red Sox bench coach and as such, Beau Mills grew up around the game of baseball. His knowledge of the game is tremendous and has great makeup. His hitting is advanced and the defensive requirements of first base are minimal so he is a good candidate to rise through the Indians system quickly. There’s a good chance he starts next year in Double-A and could be looking at a callup late in the summer.

Mills profile looks a bit like Jason Giambi with an acceptable batting average, high on-base percentage and a masher at the plate. He’s a left-handed hitter and that always comes with an added bonus. He has a high ceiling and could become a regular major leaguer soon.