Dave Diebert and Kevin Mitchell
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Carter Beck was beckoned by the Atlanta Braves with a draft pick that cemented itself in Saskatchewan’s baseball record book.
Beck, who hails from the town of Carnduff, on Saturday became the first-ever Saskatchewan player chosen in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft. The Braves selected the outfielder 26th overall after a standout collegiate season with Indiana State that saw him named player of the year in the NCAA Division I Missouri Valley Conference.
“It’s always been a grind for me, coming from where I’m from, playing multiple sports in high school, going to Division II college and transferring up to Division I,” he said in an interview with MLB.com“It’s always been head down, playing baseball, and when the people catch up and recognize you, they’ll recognize you. Trusting the process. If you keep going out and performing, people will find you.
“I know it’s cliche to say it, but they’ll find you eventually.”
Beck this past season with Indiana State hit .346 with 16 homers, 59 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He reached base in 55 of his 57 games played.
He also played a starring role with the Western Canada Baseball League’s Saskatoon Berries in 2024 and 2025, earning first-team all-star honours both seasons.
Beck, who turned 21 last month, was rated the No. 69 prospect by Baseball America heading into the draft, but the Braves saw him as a first-rounder. He was the first Canadian selected in this year’s draft.
He said he takes enormous pride in his Carnduff roots. The community is located approximately 280 kilometres southeast of Regina and 90 kilometres east of Estevan, in the corner pocket near the United States and Manitoba borders.
“The big thing I’ve always said that keeps me going, is trying to be a role model for the Saskatchewan kids and show them that you come from a town of 1,000, an hour away from a city, that you go out and do big things, get places, you don’t need to come the same route that everybody else comes from,” he said.
Beck was in Carnduff at a backyard barbecue, surrounded by family, friends and loved ones, when he heard his name called on Saturday..
“It was cool just seeing how everybody reacted. Everybody’s rooting for me so much,” he said.
That, Beck added, is the “coolest part of being from out here.
“Everybody knows you and you know everybody.”
