MCKENZIE, Tenn., (06.18.09) - Just one week after being selected in the Major League Baseball draft, Bethel's Jonathon Keck has decided to forgo his senior season and has signed a contract with the Kansas City Royals. The Royals had placed him in the Costal Plain League, where he was as of Wednesday. After watching Keck pitch on Wednesday, the Royals staff decided to make an offer that appealed to him. He leaves this morning for Arizona to play in the Royals Rookie Baseball Camp.

Keck will be heading to Surprise, Az. playing for the Surprise Royals. Surprise is a team in the Arizona League (Rookie) and begins play June 21, 2009 against the Arizona League San Diego Padres affiliate. Surprise will play the remainder of June, all of July and most of August ending the season on the 28^th.

Keck was playing for the Generals of Petersburg, Va. before signing with the Royals. In just a short stint, Keck appeared in two games and started one and had a 0-1 record. He had thrown six innings, striking out seven.

Keck was selected in the 42nd round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft and taken with the 1,262 overall pick.

Keck's career with Bethel ends with impressive numbers. He will also depart as Bethel's career home run leader. On the mound, Keck appeared in 25 games, tossing five complete games. He is 11-8 overall with an ERA of 6.15. He throws low to mid 90s and is a tremendous strikeout hurler with 141 K's in 114.0 innings. This past season Keck was 5-4 with three complete games. He struck out 81 hitters in 55.2 innings.

Keck's signature win of the 2009 season was on the road at #15 Cumberland University. Keck threw a complete game gem, allowing only four hits, two runs, only one earned, walked four and struck out seven.

At the plate, Keck is a .320 career hitter. He has 41 career home runs and has 128 RBI in his three years.