Former Xavier prep Jon Keller garnering attention in minor leagues

Editor's note: Freelance writer David Driver has covered the Orioles minor league system for 20 years and can be reached at www.davidsdriver.com

By David Driver, correspondent

READING, Pa. - This has been a productive minor league season for Cedar Rapids' Jon Keller, a right-handed reliever in the minor league system of the Baltimore Orioles.

And his year is about to get better. The former Xavier prep has been selected to appear in the Arizona Fall League, which is reserved for top prospects.

'It will be a good challenge for him,” said Brian Graham, the director of player development for the Orioles.

Keller began the season with high Single-A Frederick of the Carolina League and then on Aug. 10 was promoted to the Bowie (Md.) Baysox of the Eastern League for the first time. He is on the playoff roster of the Baysox, who played here last night in Game 1 of the best-of-five EL championship series.

'It is exciting. It is a great league where most of the top guys go, so it is an honor for sure,” Keller said of the Arizona Fall League, while standing outside of the Bowie clubhouse Tuesday. 'I am excited to get there and see what it is all about.”

He will spend about a week in Florida before joining other Orioles prospects in Arizona in early October. But first Keller hopes to help Bowie to its first Eastern League title.

'We hope we can finish out the season on a winning note,” he said. 'It is a great group of guys. We are having fun; that is the most important thing.”

Keller throws a fastball in the mid-90s, along with a slider and change up.

He bounced back after a slow start this year.

'I struggled a lit bit in Frederick. I went through a little bit of a mental rut and I got out of that finally and started pitching better,” he said. 'It is always exciting to get moved up.”

The 6-foot-5 Keller, 23, began his college career at Nebraska. After two years he transferred to the University of Tampa in Florida, and helped the school to a Division II national title.

Due to medical concerns, he was drafted in the 22nd round by the Orioles in 2013.

'Where you are drafted doesn't really matter that much,” he said. 'I don't put too much into that now.”

He began this season as the No. 13 prospect in the Baltimore system, according to Baseball America, and he was 3-4 with 3.82 ERA and four saves in 30 games out of the bullpen for Frederick before he advanced to the Baysox a few weeks ago.

'It eases him into next season,” Graham said of the promotion.

Keller was 0-0, 3.55 in seven games with the Baysox and allowed just six hits in 12 2/3 innings.

'He has plus stuff,” Graham said in a telephone interview Tuesday. 'His stuff is good enough to pitch in the big leagues.”

But before that happens, Keller needs to work on his command and get more experience, according to Graham.

His last regular-season appearance was 2 2/3 scoreless innings Sept. 7 at Erie and he did not pitch in the first round of the playoffs.

His brother, Mitch, was a second-round pick by the Pirates in 2014 out of high school and missed most of this minor league season with an injury.

'It is always tough being away from home but you get used to it. Playing college ball I was away from home,” Jon Keller said of playing on the East Coast during all of his pro career.