Berdych - a wildcard for the ATP 500 event and granted a bye in the first round - won 84 per cent of his first serves and broke four times throughout the contest as he eased past the American qualifier in straight sets in Washington.
After wrapping up proceedings in just 68 minutes in his first match since reaching the third round at Wimbledon, the Czech world number five will face fellow seed Vasek Pospisil.
Canadian Pospisil - seeded 13th - overcame qualifier Rajeev Ram 6-0 7-6 (10-8) to earn a third-round showdown with Berdych.
There was no such luck for fifth seed John Isner, who slumped to a shock three-set loss to American counterpart Steve Johnson in his opening match.
Isner - runner-up to Juan Martin del Potro in Washington last year - fired down 29 aces but he could not get the better of Johnson, ousted 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (8-6).
The towering 29-year-old, who took out the Atlanta Open last week, later complained the schedulers should have put his match on centre court.
While Isner bowed out, seeds Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori, Richard Gasquet and Santiago Giraldo all progressed.
Second seed Raonic of Canada withstood 16 aces from American Jack Sock to win 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3), setting up a clash with Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt.
Japanese fourth seed Nishikori survived a scare to prevail 6-4 5-7 6-4 against American Sam Querrey, who had won three of the four previous encounters between the two.
Nishikori will play Lukas Lacko for a place in the quarter-finals.
Sixth-seeded Frenchman Gasquet will go head-to-head with Tim Smyczek in the third round after defeating Israeli Dudi Sela 6-3 6-2.
Colombian 10th seed Santiago Giraldo won four break points and saved seven as he battled to a 6-2 7-6 (7-3) victory over German Benjamin Becker.
Next up for Giraldo is Dominican Republic representative Victor Estrella Burgos, who stunned eighth seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Meanwhile, Donald Young upstaged French 17th seed Julien Benneteau 6-4 6-3.