Aidan Keenan’s desire to compete made him an MLB draft prospect
MORGAN HILL, Calif. (BVM) –If you play baseball, you likely have a strong desire to compete and an ambition to be the best. This is no different for Live Oak High School star Aidan Keenan.
Keenan was initially enamored with the game after watching his older brother play, and like every sibling rivalry, he wanted to be better than him. Whenever Keenan got to participate in the Cooperstown Baseball Classic as a 12-year-old, he was able to put a feather in his cap in that regard.
Aidan’s brother played in the same tournament three years prior and hit two home runs. Aidan managed to hit three, and he made sure to let his brother know by holding up three fingers toward him as he rounded the bases.
Keenan is still solid in the batter’s box to this day, hitting .319 this past spring, but it is his arm that has made him so coveted.
The 18-year-old has a three-pitch mix that he used to post a 0.74 ERA as a senior while racking up 75 strikeouts in 47 innings. Keenan is ranked as the No. 137 draft prospect according to Prospects Live.
Hello, Aidan Keenan.
Eye-opening outing for the Cali kid. 92-95 on the heater with serious life from a low slot, got nine FB whiffs. CB got better as outing went along, mid-70's with sweep and spin up to 3,000 RPM's. Flashed CH at 81. Loose, athletic delivery. Stanford commit. pic.twitter.com/Fr5eUOKR6K
— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) July 22, 2022
That desire to compete is as strong as ever for the 6-foot-2 righthander and it has helped make him one of the top prep pitchers in the state of California.
“I fell in love with pitching because I get to be in charge of the game and everything is on my time,” Keenan said. “Not only am I competing against my opponents, I am competing against myself. I am forcing myself to get better every day.”
Keenan was on the radar of college coaches early on in his high school career, as he had already hit 95 mph in his sophomore summer. The following winter, he touched 98 mph.
Aidan Keenan (‘23 CA) just cruising through innings with 9 Ks through 5. Opened 93-95, has settled low-90s & is in full attack mode. #Stanford commit. #PGFallNatChamp pic.twitter.com/KfwmfJ8UUP
— Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) September 12, 2021
Plenty of schools were salivating at the opportunity to work with Keenan, but he ultimately decided on the University of Stanford in the summer leading up to his junior year.
I am very excited to announce my verbal commitment to Stanford University to continue my baseball and academic career. I would like to thank my friends, family, and coaches for everything they have done for me. @KpiMh @kpistrength @RealAdamFarb @cbodish @erikwagle11 pic.twitter.com/uLp1sY9iaz
— Aidan Keenan (@Aidan_Keenan13) August 22, 2021
“I connected with the coaches there,” Keenan said. “Their facilities are second-to-none and obviously the academics are unbeatable. It’s kind of the best of both worlds.”
MLB scouts have also noticed the talents of Keenan and that is why he could be selected fairly early in the 2023 MLB Draft. That type of opportunity could put some stress on someone of Keenan’s age, but he views it differently due to the people around him.
Aidan Keenan (‘23, CA) showing very bit of a live arm. FB 90-92; T94/95 w/ serious run out of the hand. Flashes a hard biting mid-70s SL at 2700 RPM. Loose low 3/4 slot w/ electric arm speed. Huge upside in the class. #Stanford commit. #UBC pic.twitter.com/W4uqA2RnZg
— Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 22, 2022
“I know I have the best baseball training group behind me with my pitching coach, strength coach and advisors. They’re all the best of the best,” Keenan said. “My family and friends are such a great support group, so there really is not any pressure in being a draft prospect.”
Keenan will know more about his immediate future within the next week, but regardless of where he winds up in the short term, those same people will be behind him every step of the way as he continues his march toward a big-league career.
