Josh Beckett

The second overall pick who delivered two World Series championships and a no-hitter before retiring in 2014.

Joshua Patrick Beckett is a former Major League Baseball pitcher born on May 15, 1980. He was drafted by the Florida Marlins with the second overall pick in 1999 after being selected ahead of Josh Hamilton by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who chose Hamilton first due to concerns over Beckett's perceived arrogance. Beckett spent his entire professional career with three teams: the Florida Marlins (1999–2005), the Boston Red Sox (2006–2012), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2012–2014). He is a three-time All-Star who won World Series titles in 2003 with the Marlins and 2007 with the Red Sox, earning MVP honors for both the 2003 World Series and the 2007 American League Championship Series.

Quick Facts

Position: Pitcher
Born: 15 May 1980
Birthplace: Spring, Texas, U.S.
Bats: Right
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: September 4
Debut year: 2001
Debut team: Florida Marlins

Lore & Background

Beckett's journey began at Spring High School in Texas, where he was initially cut from the team for poor grades and attitude during his freshman year. After a growth spurt and academic improvement, he returned as a sophomore with a 9–3 record and a 1.18 ERA, tossing three no-hitters. By junior year, Baseball America ranked him the top high school prospect in the nation. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays passed on him for Josh Hamilton, citing Beckett's arrogance, while Marlins scouting director Al Avila praised his "bulldog" mentality and overpowering fastball. Beckett signed a four-year, $7 million contract with the Marlins in August 1999, including a $3.625 million signing bonus that exceeded what most major leaguers on the roster earned.

Reader's Guide

Beckett was traded from the Marlins to the Boston Red Sox in November 2005 as part of a multi-player deal that sent Hanley Ramírez, Aníbal Sánchez, Jesús Delgado, and Harvey García to Florida. He won the 2007 World Series with Boston, earning the ALCS MVP award. In 2012, he was traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Dodgers in another multi-player transaction. With the Dodgers, he recovered from a serious injury that sidelined him for most of the 2013 season and threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 25, 2014, becoming the 19th pitcher in franchise history to achieve this feat. His 2014 season was cut short by another injury, leading to his retirement announcement on October 7, 2014.

Did You Know?

Beckett's signing bonus of $3.625 million was larger than the salary of every player on the Marlins' major league roster except for pitcher Alex Fernandez.
In Game 6 of the 2003 World Series, Beckett pitched on only three days' rest to shut out the Yankees in a complete game, striking out nine batters.