Eric Beattie was born on April 2, 1983, in Valrico, Florida. He was a standout at the University of Tampa and in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he played for the Bourne Braves and won the 2003 CCBL Pitcher of the Year Award. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2004 amateur draft by the Detroit Tigers. However, upon reaching the minors, he struggled greatly with his control with the Gulf Coast League Tigers in both 2005 and 2006. He was released following the 2006 season. The Boston Red Sox signed him to a minor league contract in March 2007, and assigned him to the Low-A Greenville Drive, making him a full-time reliever. He struggled early, however, and was demoted to the Lowell Spinners. His problems continued with Lowell, as he posted a 10.02 ERA over 18 innings. Beattie was rele