Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

Andrew Keck (Vianney, 2018) Keck is an athletic 6-foot-3 200-pound right-handed hitting catcher and has committed to Southeast Missouri State.

Keck runs a 4.22 home to first and has an exit velo of 92 mph. At the plate,  he has a wide set up in base, minimal stride with no wasted movement.  He has explosive hands, and makes hard consistent contact during.  His bat stays on ball on the ball after contact showing power potential.

Defensively, Keck has pop times at 1.89 and 2.02-seconds with an 80 mph positional velo.  He has an over the top release with a quick catch and throw.  His feet are quick and create momentum, making mostly accurate throws to the bag, some with carry.

Currently, Keck is hitting .457 with 24 RBI with nine doubles and three triples.  Here is a look inside the recruiting process for Andrew Keck.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it as expected? Easy/Difficult?

Keck: The recruiting process for me was pretty interesting.  I was not recruited much or any of my sophomore year.  This fall and winter of my junior year, I really the grind and the recruiting process took off. I started to reach out to coaches and sent my PBR video all around.  I would not the process was easy at all.  The recruiting process can be expensive, tiring, and stressful, but its important to remember the big picture.  There were times it was pretty stressful but was well worth the time put in in the end.

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

Keck: While I did not want to be eight hours way from home, I also wanted to be close enough for my family to be able to see me play.  Southeast seemed to be that perfect medium I was looking for.

PBR: Where did Southeast Missouri first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Keck: I actually reached out to Southeast after watching them play a game earlier this season.  My coaches had mentioned my name to them, but nothing ever to serious came of it.  Then one day I got a call from Coach Sawyers telling they were interested in me and he would have a coach at my game that day.  From that point on my relationship with the coaches continued to grow to where it is today.

PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?

Keck: The best player I have faced would be Erik Miller from Desmet.  Miller is an elite pitcher, who knows how to control all of his pitches and flat out just a guy you don't wanna have to face when he's on.

PBR; What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

Keck: Work hard.  I thought that the college coaches were going to blowing my phone up.  Little did I know, I was no where near where I needed to be to play Division 1 baseball.  You have to work hard, hustle, and never believe that someone is better than you.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?

Keck: I train at P3 (Performance Elite) about four times a week.  I also do the workout program with our Vianney baseball program four days a week.  Along with workouts, I hit and take catching lessons throughout the week.  This past off season was my hardest one yet, and it is really paing off this season.

PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

Keck: My most memorable moment so far in my career was being an Under Armour Pre Season All-American and spending the week at Sloan Park, playing against the top players from around the world.

PBR: What do you like most about Southeast Missouri and what were the key factors in making your decision?

Keck: I really love the coaches at Southeast.  I believe in Coach Sawyers and Coach Ringe's message, and feel that is a perfect fit for me.  The facilities, dorms, and field are all top of the line.  Some of the key factors in my decision was the proximity to home, coaching staff, continued success the program has had, and small town atmosphere with big time games. 

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

Keck: SIU-E, IU Kokomo, SLU

PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or event that you feel turned the corner for you?

Keck: The recruiting process really picked up for me this past winter into spring.  After the winter showcase I did for PBR, I really saw a pick up in contact from coaches and PBR really helped me by pushing my name out there.

PBR: How have you and your team done this spring? 

Keck: Our team has had a very solid season up to this point.  We are 26-6 and really starting to peak at the right time.  As long as we continue to play the way we are capable, I believe we have a chance to do something special this year. 

PBR: Where do you play in the summer? And what has been your most memorable experience with them?

Keck: I play with the St. Louis Naturals.  My most memorable moment with them, would winning a tournament at the University of Arkansas and beating some of the top teams in the nation.

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