Keenyn Walker

Keenyn Tyler Walker

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 190 lb.
• School Central Arizona Junior College
• High School Judge Memorial Catholic High School

• Born August 12, 1990 in Salt Lake City, UT USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Keenyn Walker was a supplemental first-round pick in the 2011 amateur draft.

Walker had 11 interceptions as a senior cornerback playing football in high school. The Chicago Cubs took him in the 16th round of the 2009 amateur draft but he opted for college at Central Arizona Junior College. The Philadelphia Phillies then selected him in the 38th round of the 2010 amateur draft. He hit .402 with 76 runs, 50 RBI and 65 steals (in 68 tries) in 63 games as a sophomore. The Chicago White Sox took him 47th in the 2011 amateur draft; the choice was compensation for the loss of J.J. Putz to free agency. It was Chicago's first pick as they lost the 23rd selection for signing Adam Dunn. Scouted by John Kazanas, he was signed on July 5th, accepting a $795,000 bonus and was sent to the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League to begin his professional career.

He made his pro debut on July 9, hitting leadoff and playing center field for Great Falls against the Helena Brewers. He had an impressive first game, going 2 for 6 with a double, two runs, two RBI and an outfield assist.

He ended up playing 8 seasons in the minors, including the final two in the independent leagues. He peaked at AA, including a full season with the Birmingham Barons in 2016 when he batted .240/.330/340 in 95 games. After being released by the White Sox after that season, he played for the Windy City ThunderBolts in the Frontier League in 2017 and briefly for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League in 2018. His biggest asset was his speed with 255 stolen bases overall, and a high of 56 in 2012, when he played for three different teams at three different levels.

After retiring as a player, he became an emergency medical technician in Maricopa County in Arizona. With a son on the way, he needed a steady job and took firefighter training at the encouragement of a friend, finding, as he says: "It’s probably more competitive than baseball. I kind of found out the hard way the first time I really started testing for a fire department."

Further Reading

• Scott Merkin: "'Rewarding': Walker enjoying life as EMT after six years in Minor Leagues", mlb.com, March 4, 2022. [1]