Patrick Keating

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #22 prospect in 2011
  Keating posted a 5.01 ERA in four seasons at Florida and pitched his way out of the Gators' rotation as a senior, which is why he was available for a 20th-round pick and $1,000 bonus in 2009. He has thrived as a full-time reliever in pro ball, shooting to Double-A in his first full pro season. He has focused on throwing his four-seam fastball and curveball in shorter stints, enabling his stuff to take a significant step forward. Keating now sits at 91-94 mph with his fastball, and he makes it tougher to hit by hiding the ball well with his delivery. His curve has become a solid-average pitch. He also has a show-me changeup, but he's doing hitters a favor if he throws it more than once or twice an outing. Keating's fastball can sometimes straighten out and he'll never have plus command, but his two-pitch assortment is good enough to get him to a big league bullpen as a sixth- or seventh-inning option. He'll probably open 2011 in Triple-A and could reach Kansas City later in the year.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #25 prospect in 2010
  When the Royals drafted Keating in the 20th round and signed him for $1,000, they had little reason to think they were getting a sleeper. Keating went 4-4, 5.12 as a senior at Florida, losing his spot in the rotation. But area scout Collin Gonzalez and crosschecker Greg Kilby liked his stuff and pushed for Kansas City to draft him. The Royals persuaded Keating to throw his four-seam fastball more often, and it worked as he sat at 91-93 mph on most nights and touched 95. He also throws a hard-breaking slurve, which isn't a plus pitch but works when hitters are looking for the fastball. Keating dominated the Pioneer League and looked good in a short stint in high Class A. He doesn't have a high ceiling but could move quickly as a reliever. Keating could return to Wilmington to start his first full pro season.