LOS ANGELES — Tyler Beede’s professional journey could have started in the summer of 2011.
At 18 years old, Beede was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the 21st overall pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft.
The Blue Jays reportedly offered him $2.5 million to sign and turn pro. The teenager instead honored his commitment to Vanderbilt University.
“It wasn’t an easy road, it was a long road,” Beede said. “But everything is a learning experience and it allows you to grow in different ways whether it’s on the field or off the field.