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AAP: Keenyn Walker


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Merkinball starts us off.

The target for pick No. 47 overall in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft on Monday night was laid out weeks ago by White Sox director of amateur scouting Doug Laumann and his staff.

 

Even with this Compensation Round A selection serving as the club's only selection on Day 1, it was tough to identify three or four players to focus upon almost four hours into the selection process. So, the White Sox would start from the Draft strength of college pitching.

 

That is, unless an impact position player was available.

 

Enter Keenyn Walker.

 

"Well, Keenyn is a kid that we've scouted extensively," said Laumann of the selection out of Central Arizona Junior College, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound switch-hitting outfielder, who throws right-handed. "He plays in a competitive junior college program in Arizona.

 

"He has been very successful. He is a high-ceiling athlete. Unlike some high-ceiling athletes, this kid really has a feel for playing the game."

 

Walker marks the ninth straight Draft in which a collegiate player has been selected by the White Sox with their first pick. As a 20-year-old sophomore this past season, Walker batted .402 (86-for-214) with 11 doubles, eight triples and four home runs. But the impressive statistics don't stop there.

 

Try 50 RBIs, 76 runs scored and 65 stolen bases in 68 attempts over 63 games with Central Arizona. The Salt Lake City native was a two-sport athlete at Judge Memorial High School, picking off 11 passes as a senior cornerback on the football team.

 

Those characteristics sound a bit like Jared Mitchell, the organization's top pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, who played football and baseball at LSU. Mitchell, coming back from a torn tendon in his left ankle that cost him the entire 2010 season of his developmental process, has a .225 average presently for Class A Winston-Salem, with 73 strikeouts in 200 at-bats.

 

Laumann didn't address the growing pains of Mitchell, who is playing through his first full season of strictly baseball. He did point out that Walker doesn't have the football-type build, comparing his body type and ability more favorably to Carlos Beltran or Devon White.

 

"Probably the body type is more like a Devon White, with the wiry thin [look], but strength in his frame as well," Laumann said. "He's a plus, plus runner and a good defender, has arm strength and actually showed some pop for a wood bat.

 

"Like I said, the impressive thing is, if you are just an athlete that doesn't know how to play the game, you won't steal 65 of 68 bases in a high-level JUCO program. There are some instincts to play the game as well."

 

An original 23rd pick in the first round for the White Sox went to the Nationals as compensation for the Adam Dunn free-agent pickup. That signing left the White Sox without a first-round pick for the only time in their Draft history other than 1978, when they lost their top selection to the Yankees as compensation for signing free agent Ron Blomberg.

 

Arizona's signing of free agent reliever J.J. Putz gave the White Sox this 47th selection. Where Walker is concerned, they hope the third time is a charm in regard to MLB teams calling his name.

 

In 2009, Walker was selected in the 16th round by the Cubs, and in 2010, Walker was taken in the 38th round by the Phillies. He did not sign with either team, although Laumann feels confident about his 2011 signability, labeling Walker at about two to 2 1/2 years away from the Majors.

 

"We had our typical interviews and our scouts got in the house," Laumann said. "I've spoken with the family and we are confident we will have a deal done."

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Salt Lake City's Keenyn Walker was the 47th player taken in the Major League Baseball Draft on Monday. The former Judge Memorial star, who has spent the past two seasons at Central Arizona College, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the supplemental first round.

 

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound outfielder had a .402 batting average and stole 65 bases this past season in helping Central Arizona reach the Junior College World Series championship game.

 

While in Colorado for last week's tournament, Walker discussed his future with the Grand Junction Sentinel — weighing his options between the draft and a recruiting commitment to continue his college career at Utah.

 

"The University of Utah would be a great experience with them going into the Pac-12 because we'd be playing Arizona State, Southern Cal and all of those powerhouses," Walker told the newspaper. "But pro ball is there and it's a chance to get paid to play a kid's sport, so if I get the money I want, I'll take it and start my career. It doesn't matter either way, because another year of school won't hurt."

 

Walker, who was also an accomplished football player at Judge, is a three-time baseball draftee. The Chicago Cubs took him in the 16th round out of high school and the Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in the 38th round last year.

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Sickels

Keenyn Walker, OF, Central Arizona Junior College: The blazing fast, 80-speed Walker showed greatly improved hitting skills this spring, and in some draft classes would be rated a first-rounder. The deep nature of this class, plus the fact that junior college players get less attention than high school or four-year college players, pushes Walker back to second or third round slots for most. However, someone in love with his athleticism could easily choose him in the supplemental.

 

Keith Law:

Summary :

Walker is an 80 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale, and one of the fastest runners in the draft this year. He's consistently timed at less than four seconds from home to first, and that speed could eventually translate into outfield range although it doesn't yet.

 

His routes are not good and the swings from both sides need a lot of help, with a real tendency to get his hands out front and make weak contact when he makes contact at all. His plate discipline also isn't strong. However, he's a special kind of athlete that we rarely find in the baseball draft and will still go in the top few rounds despite the flaws

 

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In 2009, the Chicago White Sox selected Louisiana State outfielder Jared Mitchell, with a full toolbox of skills, as their top MLB draft pick.

 

Now two years later and with Mitchell still slowly recovering from a torn ankle tendon suffered during spring training in 2010, the White Sox have sensed a similar set of skills in Keenyn Walker, making the Central Arizona Junior College outfielder their first selection of 2011.

 

The White Sox nabbed Walker with the 47th overall pick, a sandwich selection granted from the Arizona Diamondbacks for their offseason signing of reliever J.J. Putz. Chicago’s first-round selection was awarded to the Washington Nationals for the White Sox’s inking of Adam Dunn, making it the first draft in 33 years where the team was left without a top-round pick.

 

Walker is a 20-year-old, switch-hitting sophomore who hails from Salt Lake City. He has signed a letter of intent to play next season at the University of Utah if he doesn’t sign on the South Side. In 63 games with Central Arizona in 2011, the 6’3”, 185-pounder was the epitome of “toolsy,” posting a 1.086 OPS (.502 on-base, .584 slugging) with 11 doubles, eight triples, four homers, 50 RBI, 76 runs scored and 65 stolen bases. The speedster had a remarkable .956 steals percentage, being caught just three times all season.

 

“This is a highly athletic kid with plus-plus speed,” said Doug Laumann, White Sox director of amateur scouting, in a team statement. “He is a scout’s dream. Keenyn did everything I needed to see from a scouting and performance standpoint — speed, hitting and defense. He’s a top-of-the-order, leadoff-type guy with pop, and he’s a plus defensive center fielder.”

 

Interestingly, Walker was drafted out of high school by the Chicago Cubs (16th round, 2009, offering him a reported $250,000 to sign) and was taken after his freshman year at Central Arizona in 2010 by the Philadelphia Phillies (38th round), a selection which didn’t seem to lead to a serious offer from the Phillies, as Walker tweeted last June 10, “Let's see if I can get this paper from the Phillies."

 

Walker would seemingly have a soft spot in White Sox GM Ken Williams’ heart, as a former standout football player at Judge Memorial High in Salt Lake City. A cornerback, Walker picked off 11 passes for the Bulldogs.

 

He was a two-sport athlete at Judge Memorial High School, intercepting 11 passes as a senior cornerback in football. A baseball comp Laumann has cited for Walker is Devon White, not coincidentally now a minor-league roving instructor for the White Sox.

 

Walker’s selection marks the ninth straight draft in which the White Sox have selected a collegiate player with their first pick. The outfielder was recommended by Chisox scouts John Kazanas and Derek Valenzuela.

 

Prior to the draft, Baseball America ranked Walker the 92nd-best prospect in the field. If there is a weakness to his game, it’s strikeouts, as his 45 Ks in 2011 translated to a 21 percent strikeout percentage — meaning the same hole that Jordan Danks, Trayce Thompson and even Mitchell had/have in their games, Walker boasts as well.

 

As such, don’t expect the quick ascendance to the Show that Chris Sale traveled a year ago. If Walker signs in Chicago, he will need some heavy seasoning before he roams center at U.S. Cellular Field.

CSN Chicago writeup
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Here's some high school football video of him.

 

2009 Scout.com HS Football Rankings (full list):

Pos: CB Pos Rank: #102 Pos Rating:

 

 

Biography:

First-Team All-State 11 Interceptions (played in finals with broken hand would have been more) 8 pass break ups 48 yard avg kickoff return 23 passes 619 yards - 27 yard avg as a junior.

scout.com
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Walker, 6'03", 193 lbs, is a highly athletic outfield prospect who flashes good tools across the board. Speed is Walker's best tool, where he grades out at anywhere between a 65 (Baseball America) and a true 80 (John Sickels, Keith Law), and he stole 65 bases this year against just 3 CS (96% SB%). He has some pop, particularly from the left side, but will likely be more of a doubles/triples threat than a home run hitter.

 

Walker has decent patience at the plate as he led his team in walks this year with 36 (16.8 BB% (BB/AB)), which, combined with his speed, gives him potential as a top of the order hitter, but in order to reach that potential he will need to watch the strikeouts, which have been a problem for him. Walker struck out 45 times this year (21% K% (SO/AB)), which again led his team.

 

Defensively, Walker has the range to play center. He shows a solid arm and should prove to be at least an average defender at a premium position, though he does need to work on his route running.

 

Baseball America had Walker ranked as the #92 prospect in this class, and I'm sure the last thing many were hoping for was another athlete with strikeout issues in the mold of a Jordan Danks, Jared Mitchell or Trayce Thompson, after watching that trio struggle mightily in making consistent contact. But the White Sox stated a few years ago that they wanted to get more athletes into the system and they've certainly done that here.

 

There's no denying that Keenyn Walker is a premium athlete, but with major question marks over his hitting ability, he'll need to do a lot of work before we can start to think about him patrolling center field in the Cell.

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A bit on him from 2009.

There is little doubt that Pine View's Marcus Littlewood will be one of the highest rated draft prospects in years when the junior shortstop graduates a year from now.

This year, however, when looking for a draft prospect, Judge centerfielder Keenyn Walker may fit the bill. The senior's an impressive blend of size, speed, power and the ability to hit for average. He's a left-hander at the plate, which helps his stock a bunch. He's looked upon as a five tool kid, and one that can easily get selected in the fifth round.

There were five scouts that took in Judge's Friday doubleheader against Wasatch. And talent wide there is no doubt he's a viable prospect with good early round value. The question is will be want to turn pro right away, or will he want to go to school?

 

Birthday:

August 12, 1990

 

Major: Business Administration/Management

 

Full name: Keenyn Tyler Walker

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Mother makes a big sacrifice to

give kids athletic opportunities

By Andrew Aragon

The Salt Lake Tribune

 

Lori Walker has seemingly dedicated her life to putting her biological children - junior Keenyn and freshman Damara - and her nephew Lewis through Judge Memorial High School.

 

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

 

"It's all about the kids for me," Lori said. "So for us, it's whatever I need to do to get them to where they need to be and be as supportive as I can be, because really, at the end of the day, all we have is each other."

 

You already know the names Lewis Walker and Keenyn Walker. Lewis is a senior football star at Judge, receiving recruiting interest from Pac-10 programs, Boise State and Utah. Keenyn also plays football, but seems to have more of a future in baseball. He's been making big plays in the Bulldogs' baseball program since he was a freshman.

 

Damara is a freshman at Judge, an up-and-coming player in the team's volleyball program. Lori, a single parent, is the person who helps make their success possible. She has paid for them to attend expensive athletic camps, sometimes borrowing from her 401K fund to pay for them. That's OK, she says, because "I'll retire when I'm 80."

 

She has found ways to get her kids' private school education paid for, which isn't easy. It cost her $1,000 for books this year for the three of them.

 

Forget the financial help. Most importantly, she's been there for them. When Lewis broke his leg in a camp at Idaho State last summer, she drove there to bring him home. When he was knocked out during a game against Logan earlier this season, she rode in the ambulance to the hospital with him.

 

Lori and her ex-husband (also named Lewis, who is still extensively involved in his kids' lives) assumed legal custody of Lewis in 2000. Lewis was briefly separated from them when he wasn't returned from a trip to California to see his biological parents a few years ago. Lewis eventually saw them while Keenyn was playing in a baseball tournament in California. It was there that Lori realized he permanently belonged in Utah with her family. He came home at the end of the trip, toward the end of his freshman year, and was accepted as a regular member of the family.

 

"For me, people always say I'm doing a great thing," Lori said. "No I'm not. I'm not doing anything great or different. I just love him as if he were my own."

 

Keenyn and Damara feel the same way about Judge's 2007 homecoming king.

 

Technically, Lewis is the cousin of Keenyn and Damara. But he's more like their brother, or as Lewis puts it, they are "bousins." Lewis and Keenyn share a room together, play on the same sports teams and have mutual friends. There's no jealousy, and no competition between them. They support each other in school and sports.

 

Keenyn wears No. 6 on the football team, while Lewis wears No. 7. And as a family friend put it, they are never more than a few yards apart.

 

"I think it makes things easier on the both of us," Lewis said. "We both get on each other about doing our homework. We sometimes bump heads, usually over something stupid. But it is pretty cool. We go out and we're mostly with each other. It's like a best friend type of relationship."

 

Lori, despite not being a blood relative of Lewis, had no trouble accepting him into her home, basically because she has drawn from her own experiences. She grew up in foster care in Canada, saying her relationship with her biological parents was similar to what Lewis' is with his.

 

"I can't really say I was in a stable family until I moved here," Lewis said. "When I moved back to California, [i realized] not being in a stable place for a while can change how people are. We're close, and open to each other. We can tell each other anything."

 

Just like any other typical, happy family.

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Central Arizona College sophomore center fielder Keenyn Walker can’t stand still for long.

 

Walker entered the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series with a .402 batting average, 125 total bases, including eight triples, 86 walks and a whopping 65 stolen bases.

 

“He has a lot of strengths,” Central Arizona coach Jon Wente said. “His ability to throw, his center field play, he can hit with some power, but the one tool he’ll have every day is his speed, and that can keep him from being in a slump.”

 

Walker was only caught stealing three times this season and said it probably should have been less than that.

 

“The umps kind of butchered a couple calls,” Walker said with a smile. “I got into a groove this season by utilizing my speed.”

 

Walker, a 6-foot-3 switch-hitter, is the No. 3 junior college prospect on the Perfect Game USA list, and it isn’t the first time the Salt Lake City native has been on the pro scouts’ radars.

 

After his senior year at Judge Memorial High School, Walker was drafted in the 16th round by the Chicago Cubs. Philadelphia took him in the 38th round of last year’s draft.

 

The only problem was, the teams were drafting mostly on potential.

 

Walker has been a two-sport athlete all of his life and didn’t have much baseball experience, spending falls as a lockdown cornerback who had 11 interceptions his junior season in high school.

 

“He was worth the draft and I think the Cubs tried to sign him out of high school and the Phillies definitely wanted to sign him,” Wente said. “But he wanted to play every day, get more reps and realize what it takes to be a baseball player.”

 

Once arriving in Coolidge, Ariz., Walker took some time to get accustomed to playing baseball every day and didn’t have the best freshman season. He played in 58 games, hitting .294 in only 97 at-bats.

 

“It was the first time I’d just focused on baseball,” Walker said. “I was sitting there in the fall thinking, ‘Man, I should be in football pads right now.’ “

 

Walker said it was during his freshman season when he realized how he would have to mold his natural talents into something more.

 

“I knew it was something I wanted to do for a career, so I buckled down,” Walker said. “I started doing all the right things to be able to make it to the next level.”

 

Walker has never been one to jump at the money. Despite being drafted twice, he’s chosen to return to school each time. Walker is committed to join the University of Utah next year, but will most likely be drafted for a third time in the upcoming draft.

 

“The University of Utah would be a great experience with them going into the Pac-12 because we’d be playing Arizona State, Southern Cal and all of those powerhouses,” Walker said. “But pro ball is there and it’s a chance to get paid to play a kid’s sport, so if I get the money I want, I’ll take it and start my career. It doesn’t matter either way, because another year of school won’t hurt.”

 

Walker said he’s enjoying the opportunity to play in Grand Junction, and hit his first home run of the series Monday night against Potomac State.

 

“We have good chemistry and that carried us to the World Series,” Walker said. “Just making it here was a tough road and being here is a great achievement.”

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2009

Keenyn Walker is a 2009 OF/P with a 6'1'', 185 lb. frame from Salt Lake City, UT who attends Judge Memorial. Keenyn is a lean well put together very athletic player with fluid actions in the outfield. His throws carry well in the outfield with arm strenth. He is a switch hitter at the plate with a line drive swing plane. He showed a bit better from the left side and has good extension in his swing. He stays inside the baseball and uses all fields. He projects very large with added strength and is a very good, 6.53 sixty. Walker is extremely athletic and he could skyrocket up the charts by next year.

 

2008

Keenyn Walker is a 2009 OF/P with a 6'2'', 187 lb. frame from Salt Lake City, UT who attends Judge Memorial. Walker has a good frame with a good athletic build. He is a very good runner and he covers lots of ground in the outfield. Defensively, Walkers feet work well and he has smooth actions through the ball. He has good arm strength with carry on his throws. He follows his throws well and has a loose arm action. Walker is a switch hitter. From the right side he starts with a low hand set and has a good approach. Walker generates bat speed and has good pop to the opposite field. From the left side Walker starts with an open stance and has a short swing. He has some bat speed and some pop. Walker swings the bat better from the right side presently. Walker pitches from a 3/4 arm slot with a long arm action. He uses tall and fall style mechanics with some effort. Walker throws an 11/5 curveball with some depth and gets armside run on his fastball. Walker is a very toolsy player with lots of upside.

 

2007

Keenyn Walker is a 2009 OF/P with a 6'1'', 183 lb. frame from Salt Lake City, UT who attends Judge Memorial HS. He was selected as a Top Prospect and in time could develop into one of the top '09 players in the west. Walker has a lean, lanky, agile, projectable body type with fluid athletic actions. He is exciting athlete on the baseball field and though he is somewhat raw he does flash high skill level at times. He has plus speed and above average raw arm strength that stand out as two present day above average tools and that arm projects even bigger. Walker is a switch-hitter and has not been doing so for a long time. He has a smooth left handed stroke and the more at-bats he got, the better his timing and feel was during the games. His hands work really easily. Some power will develop as he gains strength and continues to gain feel with the bat. In the outfield Walker projects as a top of the line centerfielder. He has easy loping strides and moves gracefully. His arm certainly plays big in centerfield. On the mound Walker also showed some intriguing ability. His arm is loose and works well. We expect his low-80s fastball to continue to climb as he gets stronger. Walker's fastball can ride at times and his 12/6 curveball has some depth. Major D1 programs should keep a close eye on him. Pro ball also is likely in his future.
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Hope you don't mind this addition:

 

1-47) White Sox: Keenyn Walker, OF, Central Arizona JC: Blazing speed and greatly improved hitting skills, along with a solid glove, push him to the top of the White Sox draft list. I like Walker a LOT and he was on my list of players who could go earlier than expected. He's got some risk, but the reward could be huge.

 

Linky: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/6/7/22...sis-and-opinion

:gosoxretro:

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Video clip of him at link

"During the World Series, he really proved himself as one of the best players in JUCO baseball," said Central Arizona College baseball coach John Wente of Keenyn Walker, the White Sox top pick in the 2011 First-Year Player, selected at No. 47 in Compensation Round A on Monday.

 

"He did a little bit of everything," Wente added. "He stole bases. We stuck him in right field and he threw a guy out at first base on a base hit. He hits an [opposite-field] homer left-handed. He hit an inside-the-park home run. He showed everyone at the tournament he's a special player."

 

That special talent truly came to the surface during Walker's second season with Central Arizona.

 

In 2010, Walker hit .299 with 16 RBIs and 42 runs scored over 58 games. It was his first year out of Judge Memorial High School in Utah and his first year where he wasn't stealing bases for part of the year and setting interception records as a defensive back for the other part.

 

Draft Central

 

Giving up football was a tough decision, according to comments made by Walker during a Tuesday conference call. But once he decided baseball was the way to go, his talent really seemed to explode.

 

"Out of high school, I really wanted to play football," Walker said. "I still miss it to this day. Something hit me one day, and it was that baseball was what I wanted to do. I had more of a future there and stuck with it.

 

"Last year was kind of a disappointment, my freshman year at school. I didn't play that much. But, this year, I got in a groove. I got better, hit the weight room harder and worked out harder."

 

Walker's work ethic translated into amazing numbers during the 2011 season.

 

As a 20-year-old sophomore, Walker batted .402 (86-for-214) with 11 doubles, eight triples and four home runs. He added in 50 RBIs, 76 runs scored and 65 stolen bases in 68 attempts over 63 games.

 

About the only thing missing from Walker's resume was a NJCAA championship. Navarro College grabbed a 6-4 victory in 10 innings, but it was Walker who helped make it possible for the Vaqueros to get that far.

 

"He was unbelievable this year," Wente said. "The reason why we had the year we had was Keenyn Walker. He made our offense go. He put a lot of pressure on the defense. That was one of the better years we had in our place.

 

"Keenyn has all the tools to make a great baseball player. He can run, hit for power, hit for average. He can play center field and has a plus arm. There are so many ways he can impact a game."

 

One of the biggest changes Walker had to make was going from a colder weather area in Utah for high school to an area in Arizona near Casa Grande, between Phoenix and Tucson, where games were never rained out. Walker had to figure out what it takes to play the game every day, a solution he clearly found.

 

"It has been a fun part to see," Wente said. "It has been fun to see his maturation and to see him grow."

 

The Cubs took Walker in the 16th round coming out of high school in 2009, but Walker very candidly said on Tuesday that the Cubs didn't offer the right amount of money and he felt a little more was there to be had. In 2010, the Phillies selected Walker in the 38th round.

 

This missed signing was about timing, as Walker already had his books and classes set when the Phillies made their offer. Walker has committed to Utah, potentially playing for the hometown university.

 

But Walker's comments on Tuesday made it seem as if he is strongly leaning toward joining the White Sox.

 

"I definitely want to sign and start my career in pro ball, but another year in school won't hurt," Walker said. "It's really whatever to me, but I definitely want to sign."

 

"You are talking about a hometown kid going home to play in the new PAC 12, so I don't know which way he'll go," Wente said. "I think he's ready this year to finally be a professional player. I was not 100 percent sure I was ready to say that last year. What he decides is up to him and his family, but he feels ready to go out."

 

If Walker reaches the Majors, he'll join other former Central Arizona standouts turned big league players such as Ian Kinsler, Scott Hairston, Rich Harden, Tom and Matt Pagnozzi, Dan Wheeler and Aaron Myette. Playing for the White Sox certainly would be a thrill, for both Walker and the organization, if Walker lives up to his projected ability. But it might not be as thrilling as hearing his name called on Monday.

 

"When I heard my name, I was in shock," Walker said. "All I could hear was my mom screaming and that was about it.

 

"I'm going to let the cards play, but I want to be in the big leagues by three years. Other than that, you never know what's going to happen. I just need to work hard every day. I still have room for improvement."

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  • 8 months later...
  • 2 months later...

Walker got off to a fast middle of the month after a very slow first few games, assigned to class A Kannapolis, but slowed down considerably at the last week again. Very streaky so far.

 

Walker went 3 for his first 19 with 11 K's, but then started piling up the hits. On April 22, he was hitting .300, but has followed that up with a 1/17 stretch in his last 5 games.

 

By far the most troublesome stat is 31 K's in 77 AB's. Not possible to put up good numbers when you do that, but as this thread should show, he's raw and that's the thing he will need to fix before being a big league quality player.

 

Overall stats, hitting .247/.337/.338/.675, 5 2b, 1 3b, 11 BB's, 8/13 on steals.

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