A Dog’s Best Friend: Seth Beer

RENO, Nev. – There are very few days better than the first Monday of each month at Greater Nevada Field. Fans love being able to bring their dogs to the park and watch their favorite 6-foot-3 first baseman stare grimacingly at the hill, awaiting the pitch while his last name echoes through the ballpark.

But much like the cheering sections in Reno, Aces’ first baseman Seth Beer also has a soft spot for the animals that roam the concourse.

The 24-year-old grew up in Maryville, Ill., spending time on the diamond and in the pool to become a distinguished two-sport athlete. It did not take long after opening his front door following a long day of practice for Beer to be welcomed home by an enthusiastic flurry of furry friends.

Seth and his family took in and raised three dogs, all of whom were rescues. His first dog, Beau, was found in a Walmart parking lot while Daisy had been picked up on the side of a road and Bella was brought home from a baseball tournament.

Seth’s mom, Robin, was (and still is) an advocate for finding dogs their forever home before Seth was born, fostering dogs until they were ready to be placed with a family.

“My mom did a lot when it came to fostering dogs and taking them in when they needed homes,” Beer said. “It’s something I grew up around and it’s special. The impact my mom has had on these dogs shows how compassionate she is for animals and that has rubbed off on me.”

The 2016 Dick Howser Trophy winner followed in his mom’s footsteps and adopted his first dog with his girlfriend during their tenure at Clemson when they came across a local shelter in Greenville, S.C.

Beer’s four-legged friend, Zev, was “found, as a puppy, on the side of a highway with his brother,” and the Aces’ first baseman and his girlfriend knew he was the one.

In the days since the former Clemson Tiger became a professional player as the 28th overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Houston Astros, the Humane Society has been a crucial partnership for Beer to maintain at every level.

The Humane Society is an effective animal protection organization with a goal to, “end the cruelest practices toward animals, rescue and care for animals in crisis, and build a stronger animal protection movement.”

With Low-A Tri-City, A-Ball Quad City and High-A Buies Creek in 2018, he sought out the Humane Society in each city, donating signed memorabilia for auction to raise money for the humanitarian group.

“Just knowing the situation I’m in and what I get to do on the field, I can bring some help, both money and support, to those animals,” Beer said. “I’ve always enjoyed [providing the support] and just being able to do it is special to me.”

One of the most memorable stories for Seth is one he came across on Facebook about a puppy named Finn.

The Aussie mix was struck by a car as a puppy and broke its leg, forcing doctors to do a slew of surgeries on the young pup. As heartbreaking as it was to read about a helpless dog, the costs it would take to nurture him back to normal would be difficult for the Society of Humane Friends of Georgia to find him a home.

Insert the D-Backs’ prospect.

“I felt like it was something I wanted to do and reached out,” Beer said with a soft smile. “I donated the money to pay for the surgeries Finn needed to be healthy and [the Humane Society] sent me links and pictures of his adaption day.”

Dogs may be a man’s best friend but, Seth Beer is a dog’s true companion.

“These dogs will love you forever,” Beer added. “[A dog’s] lifespan is just one portion of your life but it’s their whole life. [The Humane Society] is something that touches my heart and it’s something I find joy partnering with because animals bring me a lot of joy. Someone is going to be impacted by one of these animals and the amount of joy my dogs have brought me is pretty special.”

During this weekend’s series against the Sacramento River Cats, the Aces will be auctioning off two game-used signed bats by Seth Beer with all proceeds going to the Nevada Humane Society. The bidding will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 10 a.m., and run until Sunday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m., through the LiveSource app or by clicking here.

Nevada Humane Society is the only open-admission, no-kill shelter in the state, taking in any animal regardless of age, illness or past trauma. In 2020, NHS helped more than 16,000 animals in our community and in addition to sheltering and adoptions, is proud to offer community services such as low-cost vaccines, pet food assistance an animal help desk and more.