Shushkewich: From Met to Mountaineer, Russell prepares for next step in baseball career

Toronto Mets right-hander Keegan Russell (Whitby, Ont.) has committed to West Virginia University. Photo: Toronto Mets

December 18, 2024

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

One of the top-ranked high school Canadian arms has found a home for next year.

Right-hander Keegan Russell (Whitby, Ont.), one of the last remaining uncommitted players graduating next spring on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2025 draft list, will be taking his talents to West Virginia University under head coach Steve Sabins.

A product of the Toronto Mets program, Russell had his fair share of offers and interest from programs across the United States but decided to commit to the Mountaineers last week.

“The coaching and program at West Virginia University was unmatched compared to any other program I saw or looked into,” said Russell, speaking to the Canadian Baseball Network. “They clearly have a plan for the new age of college baseball and how to develop players. They showed how much they valued me being a part of their program and their future, which made the decision to commit there easy in the end.”

Standing at 6-foot-7, Russell dominates the mound with his imposing figure, with the right-hander focusing more on pitching over the past year to continue building up his resume toward playing at the next level. Before becoming a full-time hurler, Russell split time at first base and batted from the left side.

“Over time we started to see that his future was being on the mound,” said Rich Leitch, VP and director of baseball for the Toronto Mets. “Keegan is such a hard worker and puts in an immense amount of effort both on and off the field to continue getting better. Last fall, he was sitting in the mid-80s with his fastball and now we are seeing him sit in the low 90s, all because he kept up that great work ethic and set himself apart from many of the opposing teams he faced.”

With his commitment to WVU, Russell joins a Mountaineers roster that continues to bring Canadians into the Big 12 Conference. He is currently slated to join Sam White (Aurora, Ont.) and Jorge Valdes (Milton, Ont.) in West Virginia while Ben Goodacre (Ancaster, Ont.) and Tyrus Hall (Victoria, B.C.) are set to join Russell as well.

“I took a handful of visits to different programs, including touring WVU where they showed me their state-of-the-art facilities and their plans for the brand-new pitching lab,” said Russell. “I also met the staff and got a chance to gain a better understanding of how they operate in Morgantown.”

It's been a busy year for the Whitby product between the post-secondary visits and time on the field that he spent with the Mets, the Junior National Team, and suiting up in the Canadian Futures Showcase in the fall.

He was part of the JNT squad that went to the U-18 Pan Am Games in Panama – where he pitched a scoreless 2 1/3 innings against Mexico, earning the save – and also suited up for the team during their most recent Dominican Academy Tour. Russell was also slated to take the mound for the Canadian Premier League team at the Perfect Game WWBA World Championships in Jupiter, Fla., in early October but Hurricane Milton had other plans.

The tournament was pushed back a week from its original October 10 to 14 timeline and many of the players on the squad had other commitments – most with the Junior National Team in the Dominican – so the team pulled out of the prestigious tournament. The pushback date also fell into the “quiet period” (which began on October 14) when Division 1 programs and coaches are not allowed to do off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations.

“The process was definitely shaken up due to the schedule change in Jupiter with the wood bat tournament. The recruitment scene was stressful at times when it came to all the different schools and interest levels but it all worked out in the end with West Virginia,” said Russell.

Russell started to gain some traction south of the border when he dominated during the U18 Pan Am Qualifier Selection Camp last summer. Before the U-18 Pan Am games, the Junior National Team went down to Cary, N.C. to play USA Baseball development squads and against the U-18 USA National Team, who were also heading to the tournament. This camp was being used to trim the roster down to the group of 20 players that would be heading to Panama to represent Canada on the international stage.

Russell first took the mound in the sixth inning against Team White (development team), where he faced 10 batters and struck out three with one walk and two hits across two innings of work. He allowed one run (unearned) and pitched to a 64.2% strike rate. With one more start before the official roster announcement, Russell made one of the starts against the finalized Team USA squad to complete the camp, with the right-hander striking out two batters across two innings without allowing a hit or a run through 28 pitches.

“I was called up last minute (for that selection camp) and didn’t know many people heading in,” said Russell. “I went in with the mindset to just prove to the coaches that I was worth taking to Panama as they had to cut the team down from 28 to 20 in North Carolina. Both pitching coaches (Chris Begg and Dustin Molleken) helped me attack hitters with my full arsenal and have the confidence to establish my fastball early. This led to a lot of success against some of the best players down in the States and then down in Panama, where I got a chance to pitch against Mexico.”

“He was super impressive down in Cary,” noted Leitch. “I think that camp really put him on the map for opportunities, both with the Junior National Team and the post-secondary circuit. I also remember when we took a trip down to Indy (Butler/U Indy Wood Bat National Championship) earlier in the summer with the Mets and he probably had one of the most impressive outings I have ever seen from a high school pitcher – 17 strikeouts, zero walks – he never had three balls in a single count. He had two hits against him and both of them were lucky soft-swinging bunt dribblers down the line – it was so impressive.”

Ranked No. 2 on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2025 Draft List, Russell is getting ready for the new year while also preparing to graduate from high school and pitch one last summer with the Mets before embarking on his next baseball journey. For now, that path is leading him just seven hours south of Toronto into the Big 12 Conference.

That path also includes a potential diversion thanks to the MLB Draft, with Russell being eligible for all 30 teams to select and potentially turn professional over a college opportunity.

“My dream has always been to play professional baseball,” said Russell. “I am going at this season full throttle and trying my hardest to be the best player I can be both on and off the field. I am as excited as I have ever been for this offseason and whether I hear my name called (in the draft) or head to school, I know I am set up for success whichever route life takes me.”