Luis Beato makes impact on Muhlenberg baseball team with his raw talent

Jun. 6—When Muhlenberg baseball coaches and players first saw Luis Beato, they couldn't believe their eyes.

"We were doing inside workouts (in the winter)," senior Caleb Keller said. "I saw him and thought, 'Wow, this kid is big.' We always joke that when the other teams look at him, they're like, 'Oh, my God. He's huge.' "

The 6-3, 195-pound Beato has been instrumental to the success of the Muhls (14-10). They've qualified for the PIAA Tournament for the first time since 2008 and will play District 11 champ Southern Lehigh (17-8) in a Class 5A opener Monday at 4 p.m. at DeSales University.

Muhenberg is one of five Berks League teams playing Monday in the first round of states in four classes. It's a new experience for these Muhls and to Beato, their junior center fielder and leadoff hitter who transferred there during this school year.

"Luis is kind of the motor that gets us going," veteran coach Brian Kopetsky said. "If it's not a single or a walk and a steal, it's a double or triple or even a home run. He brings the total package offensively. When he goes off, he takes a lot of pressure off everybody else."

Beato is batting .286 and leads Muhlenberg with 25 runs, six doubles, five triples and two home runs. He also has 16 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and a .967 OPS.

"I love baseball," he said. "It means everything to me. This is what I love to do."

Beato, who turned 17 last month, was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He played baseball from the time he was very young and idolized Manny Ramirez. He lived in Allentown and attended Allen High School during the 2018-19 school year and spent last year back in the D.R. before returning to the United States.

"When you watch him, you can see the untapped, raw potential," Kopetsky said. "Top college programs are sending me emails checking in on him. He has a Division I body and a lot of room to grow, which is scary."

Beato has made great strides since the start of this season, but he's still learning some of baseball's finer points.

"I've been learning a lot from my coaches and my teammates," he said. "They've been helping me. I'm getting better every day."

Beato played well in the District 3 playoffs. He hit a solo home run and stole home in a 2-0 victory over Gettysburg in the first round. He went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in a 13-3 romp past top-seeded Manheim Central in the quarterfinals, which clinched the Muhls' berth in states.

He has committed just two errors in center field, where he covers a lot of ground.

"Any time the ball is hit to center field I have complete faith that he's going to catch it," Keller said. "If you can get outfielders like him, it makes the game go so much smoother. You can always count on him when the ball is hit out there."

Beato also has fit in well with the Muhls as the season has progressed. He's given advice to teammates, including sophomore right fielder Gio Cavanna.

"He's a nice kid and very funny," Cavanna said. "He's helped me out with my swing and with seeing the ball in the outfield. He's contributed in big ways."

"He's become a big part of this team," Keller said. "He's formed a big friendship throughout the whole team."

Beato said he hopes he's back next season, and so does Kopetsky.

"He might have to go to a juco to prepare for the next level," Kopetsky said. "He's on the radar of a few people."

Beato's teammates believe his potential is unlimited.

"He can understand the game better," Keller said. "There's obviously a little bit of a language barrier. There are some things he's not completely sure of. I think that holds back his game.

"If he can unlock some of those things, I think he'll be an unstoppable player."