Athlete of the Week: Sebastian Keane

At age 2 he started playing wiffleball in the back yard, and by age 10 he was playing ball at Fenway. Sebastian Keane wasn’t a Henry Rowengartner-esque gimmick, nor was he signed to a multimillion-dollar deal; he was taking part in the “Pitch, Hit, and Run” festivities at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark on June 4 before the Red Sox squared off against the Oakland A’s.

“They introduced him before the game and put him on the jumbotron,” Tom Keane, Sebastian’s father, said. Sebastian won his age group, beating out some of the better players around New England.

The quiet and unassuming Sebastian and his team, the North Andover East 10-year-old All-Stars, are currently playing in the District 14 finals in Tewksbury. The team is playing Methuen and Keane was on the mound for game one.

“My favorite sport to play is golf,” said the younger Keane, who also enjoys soccer and competes in ski racing in the winters.

Keane, a Yankees fan (the elder Keane hails from the Bronx), said his favorite player is Robinson Cano, and when he’s not mowing down players at the plate, his favorite position is shortstop.

When asked if he wanted to pursue a career as a professional athlete, Keane just shrugged a slight no.

“I like having fun and just playing sports,” he said.

Keane’s coach, Mike Valentino, had nothing but good things to say about his young talent.

“He pitched one game earlier this season for us and he pitched well,” Valentino said. “He’s been a quiet leader for us and it’s good to see.

Sebastian has been getting two or three hits a game; [teammates] look up to him.”

As for the series with Methuen, Valentino is optimistic and believes that his team can win the district if they play their game and get the bat on the ball.

After walking the first batter, the right-hander Keane sent down the next swinging, got an out on the base path from a nice throw by his catcher on an attempted steal, and sent down the next batter by way of the K.

He also was the first to reach base for his team in the bottom half of the inning at the dish, roping a single to left field. The drive was to his opposite field doing more of an Adrian Gonzalez impression instead of his boy, Cano.