Rangers draft UTA outfielder in fifth round
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Texas Rangers didn't have to look far for one of their draft picks on day two of the first year player draft.
The club used their fifth-round pick on Texas-Arlington outfielder Preston Beck, who played his high school ball at Dallas Bishop Lynch.
UTA plays its games just a few miles from Rangers Ballpark.
"I was watching the TV screen and they said my name and I couldn't believe it," Beck said. "It was pretty awesome. It was very relieving for me, but probably more for my parents and my brother. It was a huge relief to finally know where you're going and it's a huge honor to get drafted by a team like the Texas Rangers that you've grown up rooting for and going to their games over the year."
Beck, a junior, led the Mavericks to the Southland Conference Tournament title. He led the conference in home runs with 14 and set a school record for RBI with 71. He also hit .335 and led the conference with a .602 slugging percentage.
Beck said he heard from both the Rangers and the New York Yankees in the second round. The Rangers had the pick before the Yankees in the fifth round.
After drafting high school players with their first three picks Monday, the Rangers hit the college ranks hard on the draft's second day.
Beginning with the pick of Stony Brook catcher Pat Cantwell in the third round, the Rangers drafted college players through round nine.
Beck wasn't the only Texan drafted by the Rangers Tuesday. They also took Galveston Ball outfielder Nick Williams with the 93rd pick.