Volunteer Country

Drew Beam Details Tennessee Volunteers Career and Pro Ball Start

Drew Beam breaks down the Tennessee Volunteers way, as well as his pro ball start
Caleb Sisk|
Tennessee Volunteers pitcher Drew Beam (32) pitches against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, May 17, 2024.
Tennessee Volunteers pitcher Drew Beam (32) pitches against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, May 17, 2024. | Randy Sartin/Special To The News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Drew Beam is a guy who represents the Tennessee Volunteers baseball program in the best way. He was a year one contributor and would spend three quality seasons in Knoxville before moving on to the MLB Draft, which he would be drafted by the Kansas City Royals. He started 26 games this season and totaled well over 100 strikeouts.

Beam recently caught up with Vols On SI to break down the Volunteer way along with how his pro career is going.

"I think there are a plethora of ways Tennessee prepared me for pro ball. I’ll start with the coaching staff being top tier. Coach Anderson has coached plenty of big leaguers and even had a big leaguer as a son, so having that kind of intelligence and wisdom from a pitching coach adds a lot to the table. Along with great coaching, the staff always brought in highly talented recruiting classes which as the saying goes, iron sharpens iron. Having highly skilled and talented teammates created competition in all aspects of everyday training and games."

He then would add an addition to his preparation.

"Another addition to my preparation for pro ball was Q, strength and conditioning coach, who has been a major league strength coach and understands the grind of a major league season. Q helped me prepare my body for the physical toll of a pro ball season. Tennessee’s facilities were top-notch and gave me a comfortable place to train and practice over the years. From the locker rooms to the dining hall, I couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere."

How important was Tony Vitello's presence at Tennessee for the former Tennessee Volunteers star? He went into detail when speaking to Vols On SI.

"Coach V was the life of the party at practices and during training sessions. He made it fun to be there and created an enjoyable atmosphere to work in. V allowed me to be who I was as a player and a teammate. He didn’t handcuff us from being who we were by cutting out emotion or excitement during games and training. Another thing, V kept the coaching staff together through the years. That’s not the most common thing to see as coaches get new jobs elsewhere as they gain credibility. Having a solidified staff that I got to work with year in and year out was very beneficial."

Beam would then jump into conversations about the Tennessee Volunteers culture. This is something that has been a selling point for a large majority of the recruiting targets that they have landed.

"Culture starts at the top, and everyone sees how Coach V is. He is energetic and outgoing. He brought energy into every gameday and practice, feeding into us as players. Every day was a competition to get better than you were the day before. With that, the culture is now winning and achieving excellence. The goals in Tennessee are no longer to get to the top but now to stay there. Once you’ve stepped foot on campus, you’re expected to buy into the program and the grind."

Pro ball is what Beam has moved on to now. He detailed how this has been an exciting experience.

"Pro ball has been exciting as it has brought along new challenges and opportunities. The season is longer, but I do miss how intense each and every college game was. This season I got to play against former teammates like Jared Dickey, Blake Burke, and Billy Amick. Got to face Andrew Fischer as well as played with AJ Causey. It’s awesome to see Vols all across professional baseball and getting to catch up with them."

Beam is still in the minor leagues, but his goal is set much higher than that.

"My biggest goal is to keep working my way through minor league baseball and up onto the big league squad. Continuing to grow and learn from those around me and the resources I have at hand."

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Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

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