All Star Baseball Academy is pleased to name Malvern Prep senior Sean O'Keefe as our Player of the Week. Sean is a hard-throwing righthanded pitcher who starred for Malvern this past spring and then also played very well for ASBA tournament teams over the summer and fall seasons.Recently, Sean committed to play baseball for Johns Hopkins University in Maryland and he'll be joining the Blue Jays' outstanding program. Congratulations to Sean for winning the Player of the Week award from ASBA.
"I'm really excited to be playing for Johns Hopkins next year," said O'Keefe. "It's a great academic school and the baseball team is very strong, so I'll be going to a winning program and helping them stay on top in the Centennial League."
O'Keefe was not always a star pitcher, as he played much of his earlier baseball seasons as a shortstop and a third baseman. Then he grew several inches in one year, and filled out to 6-4 in height and over 200 pounds. Hello, pitching mound! He took lessons with All Star as a high potential pitcher, worked hard on his form and control, and developed into a regular starting pitcher for Malvern's top-notch program.
"Sean began with All Star Baseball when his Malvern Prep Coach, Fred Hilliard, suggested in the fall of his sophomore year that because of Sean's height and velocity he should take some pitching lessons at All Star Baseball," said Sean's Dad, Dick. "Prior to that, Sean had always played middle infield. He started lessons with Mark Freed. Mark quickly identified Sean's potential and invited him to play for the Futures Team during the summer prior to his junior year of high school with Coach Steve Van Note.
"Sean has grown as a pitcher and all around baseball player through his instruction from Mark, Steve and all the coaches at All Star Baseball. Mark's knowledge really helped us to navigate the recruiting process and was a great influence on Sean in many ways. Sean was accepted Early Decision to Johns Hopkins University and is excited to be playing for Coach Babb. We could not be more excited for Sean and the opportunity he has been given," summarized Dick O'Keefe."Sean O'Keefe has put himself in a great situation. He has developed well over the last two seasons, both in the classroom and on the baseball field, and found himself a great home at Johns Hopkins," smiled Mark Freed of ASBA's staff.
"Hopkins has a great baseball program and education, and Sean will fit in well. He has built his confidence and he demands perfection on the pitching mound.
"I am truly excited for Sean and his family for this accomplishment and look forward to following him in his college career," said Freed.
