White Sox Take Former POWER Star Keenyn Walker with 47th Pick

Palm Springs, CA—It didn’t take long in this year’s MLB Draft for a former POWER player to have his name called. Kenny Williams and the Chicago White Sox used their compensation round pick (which arose from J.J. Putz’s declination of arbitration to sign with Arizona) to make Keenyn Walker the 47th name announced at the podium in this year’s amateur draft.

Walker, a switch-hitting outfielder from Central Arizona College, spent the 2010 season manning right field for Palm Springs. White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams called the 6’3″ sophomore a “high ceiling athlete.” Williams noted that Walker isn’t like most pure athletes that enter the system through the draft, though, he also “really has a feel for playing the game,” credit for which must be–at least in part–due to his summer swinging the bat under the lights here at Palm Springs Stadium.

Walker wowed scouts this spring, boasting a .402 average and .502 on-base percentage 76 runs scored in 63 games. His power (pardon the pun), distinguished him from his teammates (with whom he went to the Junior College Championship Game), as he led the team in home runs (with four) and triples (with eight) while also doubling eleven times. Overall, though, speed might just be Walker’s greatest strength. With 65 stolen bases this past season, he more than doubled the total of teammate Jorge Flores, whose 27 swipes ranked second for Central Arizona.

POWER Owner and General Manager Andrew Starke called Walker “one of the best all-around athletes that we’ve ever had.” Starke emphasized how great it was to see Walker put together such a successful season. The POWER organization wishes Keenyn the best of luck.