2 weeks Ago
Watsonville native Luke Keaschall, 22, a second-round draft pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2023 who was sidelined by Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in ’24, will likely make his MLB debut this weekend.The injury riddled Twins (7-12) are expected to call up the 6-foot, 190-pound second baseman, a consensus top-100 prospect, from the Triple-A St. Paul Saints to provide help to their ailing lineup, multiple media outlets reported Thursday.
The Twins open a three-game series at Atlanta on Friday.Keaschall, batting .261 through 14 games for the Saints, has scouting grades of 60 for hitting and 55 for running.
He has shown a solid combination of power and speed, especially for a middle infielder, in the minors thus far.Keaschall left Arizona State University following his junior season to turn professional.Minnesota Twins minor leaguer Luke Keaschall, an Aptos High alum shown competing in the All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field on July 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas, is expected to make his MLB debut this weekend.
(Richard Rodriguez – Getty Images)He has zipped through five levels in the minors. He holds a lifetime batting average of .297 in 536 total at-bats with 19 home runs and 38 stolen bases.
Known for his plate discipline, he has 90 career walks against 116 strikeouts.“He’s the ultimate competitor,” ASU coach Willie Bloomquist, a 14-year MLB veteran, told the Sentinel after Keaschall was drafted. “I love the kid.
I think he’s amazing. He plays aggressive, a little bit with his hair on fire. He played with a 103 fever, with more effort and hustle than anyone else.
He has a toughness and grit. ..
. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. The other twenty-nine teams will be sorry they didn’t draft him.
”Keaschall replaced Brook Lee as the Twins’ representative at the MLB All-Star Futures Game in July of ’24 and suffered his season-ending arm injury a month later. He has emerged from the injury seamlessly.Keaschall’s also an option to play first base, in the outfield, or be used as a designated hitter.
He hasn’t yet played in the outfield for the Saints.He impressed the Twins’ coaches with his skill set during spring training. Ranked the 57th best prospect in the minors, Keaschall was a non-roster invitee to big-league camp and held his own.
He played in 12 games and batted .238 (5 for 21) with two extra-base hits and a stolen base.The 49th draft pick overall in the ’23, Keaschall told the Sentinel after he was drafted that he envisioned becoming a professional player while in high school.
He was a first-team all-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League infielder as a junior, and was robbed of his senior season by the COVID-19 pandemic.Admittedly, he wasn’t ready for the next level when he graduated in ’20. Keaschall, also a standout wrestler for the Mariners, grew two inches and added 25 pounds of muscle after he graduated from Aptos.
“In high school, he was towards the smaller size, but was a gamer and could hit the ball anywhere,” said Jason Biancardi, the Mariners’ head coach. “Then he got bigger and the hits turned into doubles and home runs. His work ethic was second to none.
His senior year was cut short due to COVID, which was unfortunate. But I always knew he was going to make it far in baseball.”Keaschall attended University of San Francisco out of high school and shined for two seasons for the Dons.
He was an all-West Coast Conference first-team selection both seasons.Dons head coach Nino Giarratano was fired in March of ’22 and Keaschall, with Giarratano’s help, transferred to Arizona State for his junior season.In one season with the Sun Devils, Keaschall batted .
353 with 18 homers, 25 doubles and 58 RBI. He was named all-conference in the now-defunct Pac-12 and was a second team All-American for Collegiate Baseball News.Keaschall played for the Cape Cod League’s Orleans Firebirds in 2021 and ‘22.
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