Rays Trade Tim Beckham To Orioles

The Tim Beckham era in Tampa Bay is over.

The No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft, Beckham was traded Monday to the Orioles for righthander Tobias Myers, a 2016 draft pick who was pitching at short-season Aberdeen in the New York-Penn League.

The trade closes a chapter in Rays’ history, as they will not have Beckham around to remind them of what might have been in the 2008 draft. Tampa drafted Evan Longoria No. 3 overall in 2006 and David Price first overall in ’07 and was streaking toward its first winning season in franchise history in ’08 when it picked first overall. But instead of drafting Buster Posey (fifth overall, Giants), Eric Hosmer (third, Royals) or even Pedro Alvarez (second, Pirates), the Rays went with Beckham, who ranked No. 3 on BA’s Top 200 prospects for the 2008 draft. (Posey ranked fourth.)

RAYS ACQUIRE Tobias Myers, rhp Age: 18

Myers was the Orioles’ sixth-round pick in 2016 and has gotten off to a solid start with Aberdeen, including a 35-6 strikeout-walk ratio in his first seven starts, spanning 29.2 innings. Listed at 6-foot, 193 pounds, Mathias has a loose arm and projection despite his lack of height. He’s shown a fastball up to 93 mph and throws a curveball and nascent changeup.

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ORIOLES ACQUIRE Tim Beckham, ss/2b Age: 27

Beckham had a checkered career in the minors, including a 2012 marijuana suspension while at Triple-A Durham and being passed over for a September callup completely in 2014. But he’s become Tampa’s everyday second baseman as a 27-year-old in 2017, showing solid power with a .259/.314/.407 slash line that includes 12 home runs. He’s versatile enough defensively to play shortstop and third base and likely will be used in that role in Baltimore. Jonathan Schoop, an all-star in 2017, blocks him at second base, and has similar strengths and weaknesses (walk-strikeout ratio) as Beckham. But Schoop has progressed as a hitter as a pro and produces much more power.