On the Way to the Majors: How Beck Way is preparing for the big-league leap

Omaha’s April Pitcher of the Month, Beck Way, is in his third season with the Storm Chasers and looks to be pitching the best baseball of his career. The right-hander has yet to make his Major League debut, but seems to be taking the steps he needs to make the leap.

“I feel confident,” Way said. “I feel like I put in a lot of hard work, so every time I go out there, I'm just super loose right now, super comfortable.”

Storm Chasers assistant pitching coach David Lundquist has worked with Way since his Triple-A debut in 2024 to help him develop as a pitcher.

“The biggest thing that we've asked him to do is just control his body and his delivery,” Lundquist said. “He's got tremendous stuff, he's got as good of stuff as you're going to see. It's just a matter of commanding and controlling his body, which he's doing a much better job of right now.”

Among the improvements to Way’s arsenal, the sinker has looked significantly better. Of his 24 strikeouts last season, just 1 came on his sinker (4.2%), while this year, 15 of his first 37 strikeouts have come from the pitch (40.5%). Hitters are also batting just .250 (11-for-44) against his sinker this year while last season they hit .357 (20-for-56).

“The big difference is when I decide to use it and where I'm throwing it,” Way said.

His command of the pitch also seems to have improved. Through his first 15 appearances, Way has thrown 106 of his 159 sinkers for strikes (66.7%) while last year, he threw just 166 of his 303 sinkers for strikes (54.8%).

“He's more focused on getting in the zone, and now he's really able to see how good his stuff is,” Lundquist said. “When he loses command a little bit, it doesn't take him 5-6-7-8, pitches. Now it's taking him on his better days one, maybe two pitches to correct.”

Way also seems to be gaining more confidence in his sweeper, which may have been his best pitch in 2025. He threw the sweeper for 66 of his 679 pitches (9.7%) last season, holding batters to a .497 OPS. This year, while he is holding batters to a .550 OPS on the sweeper, he has thrown it 64 of his 425 pitches (15.1%).

“There's just a switch in my direction towards home plate that really cleaned up the sweeper,” Way said. “I’ve been working on it throughout my career and I’ve kind of been able to put all the pieces together.”

Way made his Triple-A debut in the final week of the 2024 regular season, making a relief appearance on September 19 in Louisville against the Bats. He returned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to start the 2025 season, but worked his way back to Omaha at the start of the second half in June and has remained with the Storm Chasers since. The right-hander originally joined the Royals organization in July 2022 as part of a trade with the Yankees which sent outfielder Andrew Benintendi to New York and Way, along with right-handed pitcher Chandler Champlain and left-handed pitcher TJ Sikkema to Kansas City.

“It's been really smooth, a really great transition from there,” Way said. “I’ve loved it since the transition happened. Being with KC, I’m just super blessed to be here right now.”

Way began his professional career with the Yankees organization after being drafted in 2020 out of Northwest Florida State College. The 129^th overall pick that year, he became the 2nd-highest draft pick of all-time out of Northwest Florida State College when he was selected.

“To hear your name get called to a team like that was pretty cool,” Way said. “I saw everybody's faces in the room. They could tell this is what I wanted my whole life. Just to play baseball, for the dream to keep happening.”

The right-hander says his family sparked his love for baseball.

“It was a combined group effort from everybody growing up. From my mom to my dad to my grandparents to my stepdad and stepmom, everybody was involved,” Way said.

While everybody played a part in his baseball journey, the fireballer says he always remembers his grandfather giving him confidence.

“My grandpa would always say, ‘this is gonna be you one day, you're gonna be a big leaguer,” Way said about when he would go to Spring Training games with his family. “On travel tournaments too, I’d be like 9 and my grandpa would be like, ‘Yeah, he's gonna play in the big leagues one day.’”

Way credits his grandpa’s words for his belief that someday he’d make the Majors.

“I'm going to D2 thinking ‘I'll still go to the big leagues one day’,” Way said. “’Oh, I’m going to a JUCO now? Alright I'll still go to the big leagues.’ I think that confidence was instilled from him.”

While the ultimate dream is to make it to the Majors, Way does his best to live in the moment.

“At the end of the day I'm just focused on right now and how can I help these guys win,” Way said. “No matter what happens out there, keep getting your work done, and keep going about your business the right way and be professional.”

“He's a great kid. He's fun to work with and it's fun to watch,” Lundquist said.

How far his journey takes him is yet to be seen, but if the first two months of 2026 are any indication, the dream is closer than ever.