Photo: Carter Beck playing at Indiana State University this season for the Sycamores. Beck played two years with the Sycamores while attending school.
By: Ashley Bochek
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The World-Spectator
Carter Beck of Carnduff was drafted 26th overall to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Beck was the highest-selected Canadian in the 2026 draft and highest-selected player from Saskatchewan all-time.
Beck grew up playing baseball in Carnduff, Alameda, Estevan, and then later in Saskatoon, and college baseball in Bismarck, North Dakota, and for the past two years at Indiana State University.
“I grew up in Carnduff, Saskatchewan,” he said. “I grew up playing hockey and baseball, they were my two main sports. I played volleyball in school and track. I decided I wanted to play and pursue baseball in my teenage years.
“I lived in town, about three blocks from school. So I walked to school almost every day, and I have three younger siblings. I have a brother who’s 19. He’s at the U of R and just finished his first year in Education. I have another younger brother who’s 15, playing baseball and hockey. Then, a little sister who’s 13. My mom is the town administrator and my dad is a teacher. He’s a social studies teacher and some Phys Ed.”
Where love for baseball began
Beck says he grew up watching his dad play senior ball and enjoyed spending time at the ball diamonds.
“Baseball has always been a big thing in our family, especially on my dad’s side. My dad played senior baseball with the Astros, and so I grew up around it and was always at the field. My mom played softball too.
“When the Blue Jays were good in 2014 to 2016, it definitely encouraged me to play baseball more, but I think a big part of it was going to the field when my dad was playing games and being the bat-boy chasing foul balls and bringing them back for quarters to go buy a freezie after the game. That was a big thing I used to do when I was little. Being around baseball from a young age, growing up around it, was a big part of why I got into it and why I chased it so much.”
He explains his love for baseball. “It’s a game you play every single day, and some people dislike that part about it, but I love it. It’s fun that way. You show up, play baseball, and do it every single day. I also love that it’s a sport of failure, it tests you mentally. In baseball, you can only control so much, and at the end of the day, it’s left up to chance. You can put yourself in the right spots and do the right things and take the right swings, but you still might hit it right at a guy on a line drive. You did everything perfect, but you’re still out. Then the challenges it can bring you is a part that you can never really master.”
Career in baseball
Beck explains the ball teams he has played for all over Saskatchewan and in the United States.
“I’m an outfielder, mainly center-field. I’ve played on all sorts of teams. I played in Carnduff until I was 13. My second year of 13U, I played for Team Saskatchewan, and then at 14 and 15-years-old, I played in Alameda on the Southeast A’s, which are now the Southeast Twins in Estevan. Then when I was 15 to 18-years-old, in 18U, I played on the Southeast Twins at Estevan and played on Team Saskatchewan twice during that time.
“I played for RBI Regina a few times in a couple of tournaments. I played for the Saskatoon Berries my previous two summers, and then my first year of college, I played at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, at a Division II school. After my first year there, I transferred to Indiana State, which is Division I. I played there for my last two years and had two good years, which got me to the point where I was going to be drafted. Now I’m in Florida at the Complex League. I am waiting for my visa to get in so I can keep going wherever I need to go for ball.”
Dream of playing in MLB
Beck said he used to dream of playing in the MLB and realized his dream was attainable over a year ago.
“I always thought about playing in the MLB, and I’d dream about it, but I wouldn’t say it ever occurred to me that it was going to be a real possibility until about a year and a half ago when I knew I could get drafted. I knew if I just kept doing good things, people would notice me. I didn’t realize what can happen so fast.
“This past year I had a really good year and knew I was in a good spot come the draft day. The day my name got called, it was one of the more surreal moments of my life, and one of the only times I didn’t know how to act or what to say.”
“It was a pretty crazy day,” said Beck. “I know I put my hands on the back of my head, and was speechless, and I don’t get speechless very often.”
Draft day
Beck was drafted 26th overall on July 11. His family celebrated in the backyard with friends and family.
“We had about 40 people in my backyard,” said Beck. “We all watched the draft. We actually invited people 30 minutes later than anticipated because I ended up going even earlier than I expected. I knew I was going to get drafted somewhat early, but I ended up going to the 26th pick, which was a few picks earlier than I would have anticipated, but not a bad problem when you’re going, ‘holy smokes! I just got picked!’
“I was sitting around starting to pay attention to my phone because you start to get phone calls as you get closer to getting picked, and somehow I missed three phone calls. I pick up my phone finally, and answered. It was my agent. He goes, ‘Hey, go watch the TV right now! You’re getting picked!’ So I walked outside, walked off the patio, and pointed at the TV we had set up in the backyard, and then they announced it was a 26 pick to the Atlanta Braves, Carter Beck. I was shocked. I had no idea how to act. I still don’t really know how to fully describe that moment, but it’s super cool.”
Spring camp
Beck is currently at the spring training facilities of the Atlanta Braves in Florida where he practices each day.
“I have not been to Atlanta to their stadium yet. I’m in Florida at their spring training facilities right now near Venice Beach, and this is where they get us ready, get us practicing. Once they deem you ready, they ship you out to either low A or high A.
“The low A team is in Augusta, Georgia, and the high team is in Rome, Georgia. Now I start grinding up through the minor leagues because there are six different levels that you have to get through to make it to the major leagues. I’m starting at level three or four, depending where they send me after spring camp, and then start my journey. I am hoping I will be told within the next two weeks where I will be headed.”
He explains his daily training schedule in Florida. “Every day practice starts around 9 am depending on the day. We practice, we lift, we field, and then we play catch. Then, we hit and do defense. By about 12 pm we’re done for the day, and then you have the rest of the day to yourself. We get all our work done in the morning, because it’s so hot here in Florida right now. Right now it’s a little different because it’s all of us draft guys, and they’re getting us back up to speed and getting ready to send us out to wherever they think we need to go.”
Long journey to MLB
Beck explains it is a long journey working toward playing in the MLB with the Atlanta Braves.
“Rarely anybody makes the MLB after being drafted in less than two years. I’d say the average time is about three to five years before you play in the majors, so it’s not a quick process. It’s a long journey, a long grind, but with the way things worked out for me in the draft, I put myself in a pretty good spot to be a priority and get moved up within the organization, and so I should have a good chance to move fast, and as long as I play good, hit good, and do what I know I can do, I should be able to. Hopefully, two or three years I’ll be up in the big leagues.”
Excited for next steps
Beck says he is excited to start training as part of a team after training camp.
“I am so excited! I’m ready to get going. It’s fun down here in Florida, but I’m ready to get to a team and start playing. That’s why I love baseball—I get to play every day, so I’m ready to get shipped out and start playing. This year I’m probably only going to have two months or so, if that, of game play, and then it’ll be the off-season, but also getting ready for next year in spring training, have a good spring training and start playing a 150-game season.
“Baseball is year-round basically, but it’s what I signed up for and it’s what I’m most excited for. It’s a different lifestyle compared to pretty much everyone because you play ball every single day, and that runs for almost nine months, so it’s busy and it’s a grind, but it’s a lot of fun.”
He adds, “In the baseball world, you keep doing your thing and then wait for that phone call, and they tell you where they need you. Whether you’re playing tomorrow night, or you’re playing tonight in this city, so pack your bags and get there—that’s how it goes. It’s about trying your best, doing your thing, and hopefully people notice your hard work.”
Goals as a ball player
Beck lists his long-term goals as a professional ball player.
“The first step is getting to the big leagues, that’s the main goal. That’s what I’m putting everything toward. All of my eggs are in one basket. I will try to do whatever I need to get to that level.
“Another goal is to hopefully make Team Canada for the Olympics or for the World Baseball Classic. Getting to the big leagues is the big one, and trying to stick it out as long as I can, and be a big impact player for the Braves. That’s my goal—to get up there, stay up there, do what I do, try and help the organization, play as much as I can, and give people a fun player to watch.”
He says baseball has had a huge impact on his life before and since being drafted.
“Baseball means a lot. It’s what I do now. It’s my full time job, and it’s not student-athlete anymore, straight baseball is my job.
“It’s what my life revolves around, and it means the world to me. I’ve been playing since I was three-years-old, and hopefully, it’s what I’m doing when I’m 35-years-old. I want to be as good as I can, and see what all I can do.”
Inspiration to younger generation
Beck says hard work is a great tool to accomplish your passions and goals.
“For anyone who wants to go places in sports and ball, it’s a boring answer, but it’s you have to work, keep working, and work until your dreams start to become goals, and then you check your goals off and never stop dreaming because you don’t know which ones are going to become goals and are going to be accomplished.”