Photo courtesy of Mountain Brook Schools
Like countless young athletes, Joey Keating grew up dreaming of reaching Major League Baseball. The Mountain Brook High School graduate made it to the big leagues, but instead of playing on the field, he found his place in the front office.
Keating, a member of Mountain Brook's Class of 2017, now serves as Senior Analyst for Amateur & International Scouting with the New York Mets, where he helps evaluate amateur and international talent using a combination of traditional scouting and advanced analytics.
His path to professional baseball began at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, where he discovered he could combine his love of baseball with an interest in analytics.
Keating joined Michigan's baseball program from 2018-21, helping the coaching staff improve player development and scouting through data analysis. During that time, the Wolverines advanced to the 2019 College World Series championship series, giving him firsthand experience with how analytics can influence strategy and player performance.
That work led to a summer internship with the Cleveland Guardians organization, where he worked with the club's rookie league team in Arizona and gained valuable experience in player development.
After graduating from Michigan, Keating joined the New York Mets in 2021. His first role placed him in the organization's Major League Strategy department, where he spent five seasons working closely with coaches and players on lineup construction, defensive positioning, bullpen usage and offensive game planning.
One of his primary responsibilities involved preparing hitters for opposing pitchers by analyzing tendencies and developing individualized game plans. While the work relied heavily on data and coding, Keating said success often depended on communicating complex information in ways players could immediately apply on the field.
Earlier this year, he transitioned into his current scouting role, where he now helps shape the organization's future by evaluating draft prospects and international players. He also works with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to improve scouting methods and player evaluation.
Despite living in New York, Keating said Mountain Brook remains an important part of who he is.
While his childhood dream may have taken a different path than expected, Keating has found a way to leave his mark on the game, helping one of baseball's historic franchises identify and develop the next generation of major league talent.
