D Bizzzzle’s Revenge: Miami Marlins Season Review

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 171 of 286.

Dustin August Beggs is a 6’3″, 180 lb. right-handed pitcher from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Born on June 14th, 1993, he was a 17th round selection of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014 out of Georgia Perimeter Junior College.

Beggs went 17-5 in 33 games, starting 21 times for the Jaguars with a 1.74 ERA and a 0.971 WHIP in 150 1/3 innings. It’s no surprise that the Cards spent a mid-level pick on him, but Beggs had other plans.

Beggs joined the University of Kentucky Wildcats for the 2015 campaign, going 7-4 with a 3.65 ERA over 14 Division I starts. His 1.09 WHIP and 75 K’s in 93 2/3 innings were encouraging, and the New York Mets chose him in the 32nd round. Beggs again said “no,” returning for his senior season with the Wildcats. Follow Beggs on Twitter @dbizzzzle.

Beggs was even better for the Cats in 2016, going 9-2 with a 3.01 ERA over 14 more starts. He struck out 80 in 98 2/3 innings and lowered his WHIP to 0.95. The Miami Marlins selected him in the 16th round of the draft that year, and we all know the rest of this story.

Players chosen with the 473th overall choice have made the majors in five-of-54 instances, or nine percent of the time. Most prolific amongst them are Bobby Higginson (1991, Philadelphia Phillies, 23.1 career WAR), Glenn Hubbard (1975, Atlanta Braves, 19.2 WAR), and Dick Ruthven (1969, Baltimore Orioles, 18.6 WAR).

Beggs signed with the Miami Marlins for a $10,000 bonus, and joined the rookie-level GCL Marlins, in the Florida-based Gulf Coast League on June 24th. He pitched one inning before getting promoted to the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League five days later.

Beggs struggled in his first look at low-A, allowing 42 hits in 31 innings. He got into 17 games for the Muckdogs, but started only three times. He struck out 20 and allowed a 1.52 WHIP but walked only five.

Regardless of Beggs slight hiccup, he was promoted to the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, in the South Atlantic League in 2017. He got place back into the rotation for 26 starts, and responded by going 10-6 with a 3.86 ERA and led the team with 107 K’s in 149 1/3 innings. He was named the SAL Pitcher of the Week on June 4th. Despite allowing just over a hit per inning, Beggs kept his WHIP down to 1.21 by surrendering just 31 walks. The Hoppers posted a 75-61 record, getting into the SAL playoffs.

2018 would see Beggs split his season between three levels. He played two more months for the Grasshoppers before getting promoted to the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. He finished the season with the double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

More from Marlins Prospects

• Miami Marlins: Checking in on prospects from the 2022 Arizona Fall League
• Miami Marlins: How top 2022 MLB Draft picks performed this season
• What’s wrong with Kahlil Watson?
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 2
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1

Between the three levels, Beggs went 6-5 with a 2.12 ERA over 110 1/3 innings. He allowed only 88 hits and struck out 111 while walking only 20 batters. Opponents collected a 0.98 WHIP against him, as well as a .216/.263/.316 slashline.

Clearly, Beggs operates better as a starter than as a reliever. Opponents slashed .194/.242/.270 in 15 games against starter Beggs and .292/.337/.483 in 10 games against reliever Beggs. On July 7th, in a 3-1 loss to the Daytona Tortugas, Beggs struck out 10 over seven innings, allowing one earned run on three hits for Jupiter. On August 10th, Beggs whiffed seven and gave up one run on three hits in a 7-1 Hammerheads win, also against Daytona.

Beggs has set a new standard for himself by keeping his walks low while greatly increasing his whiff-rate. He will start the season with the Jumbo Shrimp. Don’t rule out a late-season appearance for the Miami Marlins either.

Thanks for reading. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our daily newsletter to keep up with the Miami Marlins.