Unwanted out of high school, Lane Community College pitcher Kyle Keith drafted by Texas Rangers

By Steve Mims | The Register-Guard

Pro scouts and college coaches weren’t looking for Kyle Keith in Casper, Wyo. during his senior season at Kelly Walsh High School.

With no scholarship offers to play baseball, Keith headed to Lane Community College, where he earned opportunities to continue his baseball career at the college, and subsequently, pro levels.

Keith was drafted in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball amateur baseball draft Wednesday by Texas. The 22-year old expects to turn down a scholarship offer to Southern Mississippi to join the Rangers, who would likely send him to play this summer with Spokane in the Northwest League.

“I’m pretty confident I am going to sign,” he said.

Keith, a 6-foot, 180-pound right-handed pitcher, went 5-4 with a 2.86 ERA while striking out 66 batters in 66 innings as a sophomore with the Titans. He was the No. 674 overall pick in the draft.

“I never thought pro baseball would be an option for me until the last five or six months, when teams started coming in heavy,” Keith said. “My time at LCC let me realize this was possible.”

LCC had a second player drafted when Monroe High School graduate Austin Crowson went in the 26th round to the New York Yankees. The 6-foot-5 left-hander went 6-2 with a 2.11 ERA as a sophomore while striking out 77 in 72 1/3 innings.

Former LCC catcher Trevor Casanova was picked in the 14th round by Seattle. The 6-foot sophomore transferred to El Camino (Calif.) College this season and hit .390 with eight homers.