The Chatter’s Box: Jordan Beck Talks to The Rockies Insider

DENVER, Colo –– Jordan Beck appeared to be the incumbent as the Colorado Rockies everyday right fielder entering 2025. He had already replaced Charlie Blackmon as a pinch-runner following the 14-year veteran’s single in his final at-bat.

Beck picked up his production at the plate late in Spring Training, but failed to outplay fellow outfield prospect Zac Veen. Despite striking out at a lower clip, Veen was told to reduce his strikeouts as he was the one optioned to the minors. Nolan Jones was traded to the Cleveland Guardians and Beck got the start in left field on Opening Day.

A slow start to the regular season sent Beck back to Triple-A Albuquerque to create room for the hot-hitting Veen on April 8.

Though Beck’s slash line of .143/.189/.286 while with the Isotopes may not have inspired a promotion back to the Majors on April 19, the 38th overall pick in 2022 out of the University of Tennessee broke through immediately.

The 24-year-old from Hazel Green, AL notched base hits in his first two games, including a bases-clearing triple in the middle of an eight-run rally that nearly helped end a six-game losing streak by the last-place Rockies.

On Thursday, Colorado’s luck on the road was in the process of tying a record for futility: 13 consecutive losses away from Denver. Meanwhile, Beck was built upon his progress from the previous series like no one could have imagined.

Least on the Rockies one day, in sole possession for most on the team by the end of the next.

In game one of a doubleheader in Kansas City, he homered off their ace Cole Ragans. In game two, it was a two-homer performance, including one against Daniel Lynch IV, who hadn’t allowed a long ball in his previous 32.0 innings.

If three home runs in a day wasn’t enough of a surge, Beck hit two more home runs on Friday, including his first at home.

“Actually, I was talking about that before the game with (Chase) Dollander,” Beck said post-game. “I was telling him I’d never hit one here. I think the last series I played here, I hit the ball pretty well, but still didn’t get one out. So it felt good.”

Strange for a guy who calls Coors Field his home to not take advantage of the hitter-friendly confines. Chris Iannetta, five homers away from Denver to begin his career before his first at home, welcome to no. 2 on the list for this franchise.

The back-to-back multi-homer performance put Beck in some prestigious company. Only Carlos González (July 26-27 and Sept. 2-3, 2015) and Vinny Castilla (July 7-8, 1995) have ever accomplished such a prodigious feat in purple pinstripes.

Alas, just as his previous offensive outbursts ended, Colorado lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 8-7. At 4-21, they joined the 2022 Reds (3-22) as the only clubs in National League history with 21 losses through the first 25 games of a season.

Welcome to The Chatter’s Box, a new Just Baseball series from Patrick Lyons. Because post-game media availability is focused entirely on the details of the previous nine innings, the conversations that take place in the clubhouse or during batting practice before a contest can take on a much more relaxed and jovial tone.

The following is a conversation with Jordan Beck before the Rockies-Reds game on April 25.

Patrick Lyons: Yesterday’s game. Three homers. Have you ever had a three-homer day before?

Jordan Beck: I don’t think I have. I’ve had a couple twos, maybe, but I don’t know if I ever had a three. I know two different games, obviously, but definitely never three in one game. I’d have to go back and ask people.

Lyons: When you played travel ball as a kid, what were the most games you ever played in a day? Was it like three?

Beck: We had one-day tournament where it was like six or seven, for sure.

Lyons: Was there a one-hour time limit or something?

Beck: I was young. We might have played five innings at that point. So, they were shorter games, but definitely played a lot more games.

Lyons: Was there anything different about Thursday in Kansas City that allowed you to feel more locked in, more calm?

Beck: I was just trying to add a little bit more rhythm in the box. I felt like I was a little stiff and wasn’t really moving like an athlete. Kind of just playing with my bat tip a little bit and I just felt like I was in sync.

Lyons: Because you have two games, does it allow you to kind of stay in that groove for the first game, go back out and kind of replicate it?

Beck:  I could have played 12 games, to be honest. It was just some days you got it. Yesterday was one of those days it synced up and I had it.

Lyons: You’re hitting leadoff today for the first time in the Majors. Not an actual first for you, right?

Beck: Led off pretty much every game I played in Triple-A before that. In high school, I led off too. Been quite a few times.

Lyons: What’s the biggest challenge with that? Just running into the dugout and immediately having to get ready for that first inning.

Beck: Well, in left field it is, yeah. Left field got the long run and then you run right back in there. Got to get ready. After the first inning it’s usually fine, unless you find yourself in that spot again. But yeah, there’s some oxygen that needs to be taken in before you go up there.

Lyons: Is it a situation where it almost helps you to settle in a little bit because now you can’t overthink. You’re really just focusing on your breath and just taking what comes?

Beck: To be honest, sometimes when you are hitting down in the lineup, there could be multiple innings in between that and then I haven’t hit in an hour, hour and 15 minutes. And it can be that long. So, I just like being able to go in there. You still got your adrenaline going and compete at that point.

Lyons: Are you a part of any group text talking about the Tennessee Volunteers who could go in the first round in this year’s MLB Draft?

Beck: They definitely got some dudes. Gotta finish out some weekends. I know they lost a couple weekends, but they’ll get it rolling. I trust the staff there. I trust the guys. They’ll figure it out. Yeah, Liam Doyle seems like he’s pretty legit. I know they got two or three other guys too that are in those talks, but see what happens.

Lyons: Probably none of the guys that are there now played with you, right? Maybe they visited in your final year?

Beck: (Outfielder) Hunter Ensley is the only player there that I think I played with, for sure. None of the other guys were there. Not that I can remember.

Lyons: Does it feel like the whole transfer portal dynamic has made things more extreme or more aggressive than when you were in school?

Beck: The transfer portal was kind of just junior college guys then. We never really got many people from other schools, to be honest. Nowadays it’s kind of a little bit of free agency. They get to pick and choose. And I guess they get to ask how much money is involved, too.

So I mean it’s professional sports, in a sense. Money changes a ball game for sure. And if people don’t feel like they’re getting what they want or what they think they should get, they can leave. At the same time, if you’re going to treat it like that, it’s a job, too. So if you’re not going to perform, then you’re not going to be there.

Lyons: It seems like for these athletes, it’s one extra thing to worry about. It might be too much? Do you feel grateful that you didn’t really have to deal with that?

Beck: Yes and no. When I was there, (big) scholarships weren’t really given to baseball players. So I think we’re still having to pay 20-30 grand a semester, kind of swimming in debt. Or you still have that debt once you leave. Obviously, hope you can afford debt once you get out of college, but at the same time, I think they’re awarded the opportunity now that they can pay for that and then have something else to eat, maybe a little more. I don’t know what these guys make, but I’m sure it’s well over tuition.

Lyons: You have some credits to complete your degree? Is that something you can see yourself doing at some point or you’re not even worried about it right now?

Beck: Yeah, I told my mom I’d finish, so I’ll definitely finish. I got other promises that I’ll finish that degree. I don’t how many credits… I got a year left, finished as a junior So, or however many credits, it is 15-16, before I graduate.

Lyons: Sounds like you’re not stressing about it, which is important.

Beck: No, definitely not.