Sean Keys just keeps hitting, no matter what level he’s assigned to.
After popping out in his first at-bat against New York Mets pitching prospect and Markham, Ont., native Jonah Tong, Keys bounced back with one of his finest and most mature plate appearances in his second trip. Despite falling behind 0-2 out of the gate, he remained composed and eventually worked the count full, fouling off three tough pitches in the process, before connecting on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.
Keys clubbed a belt-high, 95.6-m.p.h. four-seamer from Tong, sending it a projected 447 feet (111 m.p.h. exit velocity) over the outfield wall in right centre for a two-run blast.
447FT 🤯
SEAN KEYS WITH HIS FIRST TRIPLE-A HOME RUN!!
But the organization’s 2024 fourth-round selection wasn’t finished yet. In his third AB versus Tong, he pulled a 105-m.p.h. laser down the right-field foul line for a double, capping off the rain-shortened, seven-inning affair with his second extra-base hit in three attempts.
Following this latest stellar performance, Keys is now hitting .321/.441/.643 with a 181 wRC+ (100 league average) through his first nine games with Buffalo. That span has also seen him earn six walks compared to eight strikeouts, maintaining the promising plate discipline that helped him conquer the lower levels of Toronto’s minor-league system.
The former mechanical engineering major at Bucknell University won’t become Rule 5-eligible until after next season. At this rate, however, it may not be long before he’s knocking on the Blue Jays’ door — even without a clear pathway to major-league playing time.