Vanderbilt slugger Dom Keegan recently went through the MLB Draft experience before deciding to forego an opportunity to start his professional career with the New York Yankees in favor of returning to school.
He recently joined the New England Baseball Journal Podcast with host Dan Guttenplan to share what went into his decision to turn down a six-figure offer to sign with the Yankees. For one, he feels he has some unfinished business at Vanderbilt after the Commodores fell to Mississippi State in the 2021 College World Series.
“I think I had a plan for myself, and I was going to stick to that plan,” Keegan said. “If it worked out, it worked out. If not, that’s OK. I’m more than happy to go back to school. I really want to go back to school, finish my degree and compete for a national championship. This year, losing was tough. I think we have a great group of guys back at school and great coaches to develop me. It’s a special place to be, a hard place to leave, and I really didn’t want to leave.”
Keegan, a Methuen, Mass., native cracked the Vanderbilt starting lineup at the beginning of his sophomore season, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a junior, Keegan played in 60 games and hit .345 (first on the team) with 15 home runs and 57 RBIs, while primarily batting third in the lineup.
Keegan said the experience of sitting the bench as a Vanderbilt freshman helped prepare him for the inevitable adversity he will face throughout his baseball career. He did not consider transferring to a school where he’d have a guaranteed starting job.
“No, not once,” Keegan said. “Vanderbilt was my dream school and where I wanted to be. The whole reason I went to Vanderbilt was to put myself up against the best. I knew if I put in the work, I could trust that one day, I’ll be able to play here. It was never a place I wanted to leave. Even if I didn’t play for the next two years, I don’t think I would have left. It’s that special of a place.”
Check out the entire podcast with Dom Keegan.
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