A standout at South Colonie High School, O’Keefe posted a remarkable .561 batting average in his senior year, setting school records. He went on to play at Saint Joseph’s University, where he became one of the program’s most accomplished hitters. By his junior season in 2014, O’Keefe was hitting .350 with seven home runs, 43 RBIs, and a school-record 58 runs, earning a spot as a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award and becoming the university’s highest draft pick since 1984.
The St. Louis Cardinals selected O’Keefe in the 7th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He began his professional career in Low-A and reached Double-A by 2017, where he hit double-digit home runs in multiple seasons.
In December 2019, the catcher was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. After the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic, O’Keefe had a breakout campaign in 2021, splitting time between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma. That year, he posted career-best numbers with a .269 average, 24 home runs, and 70 RBIs.
His performance earned him a September call-up in 2022, and he made his Major League debut with the Mariners on September 30. The next day, he recorded his first MLB hit, a single off Oakland’s JP Sears.
O’Keefe spent most of the 2023 season at Triple-A Tacoma and made another brief appearance with the Mariners in August. He was designated for assignment in October and elected free agency shortly thereafter.
In 2024, O’Keefe had short stints with the Twins and Royals organizations, eventually joining the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate in Omaha. He had another productive year, slashing .281/.364/.554 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs over 72 games. He made headlines on September 29 by hitting two home runs and driving in five RBIs in the Triple-A National Championship Game.
His 2025 campaign got off to a slow start, and after hitting .161 in 18 games, he was released by the Royals on June 23. He signed with Lake Country on July 14 and now suits up for the DockHounds.
- Position
- Catcher
- B/T
- R/R
- Ht
- 6'0"
- Wt
- 210
