Our #3 hitter, Kenny Mickens, has had a bit of a nomadic college baseball experience to this point.
He began his college career at San Diego State, but after a broken hand and medical redshirt, he lost his scholarship. That led to a one-year stint at San Diego Mesa, and then a year at Los Angeles City College. Now as a junior, Mickens needed some help finding a summer team, and then a four-year college.
As luck would have it, Kenny's hitting coach, Mike Easler, had a contact on the New Market Rebels' staff, and the Rebels accepted Kenny with open arms.
Boy, are they glad they did.
All Mickens did was light up Valley League pitchers all season long. He ended with a line that looks like this: 365/484/524 in 35 games and 126 at-bats, with 15 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 22 RBI, 25 runs, and a 19/32 BB/K ratio. He finished tied for second in the league in doubles, 2nd in on-base percentage, 4th in OPS, and first in batting average, and the 3rd best hitter according to ATVL.
Mickens parlayed this amazing summer into a spot with UNC Pembroke, where he enters the program as a junior. Here's hoping that Kenny can have a breakout college season- just in time for the draft!
Picture courtesy of Haymarket Joe Photography!
A great hitter and a great kid! It would be good to see him drafted, but if not, he will be returning to the Rebels for 2010.
Posted by: Austin | November 19, 2009 at 07:48 AM
One of my favorites!
Posted by: Anna Kipps | November 19, 2009 at 11:42 AM
We are absolutely thrilled that Kenny will be returning "home". Besides being a solid player Kenny is an outstanding young man.
Posted by: Melissa Dodge | November 19, 2009 at 07:43 PM