King’s Barnum headed to Breakthrough Series

Posted Jul 26, 2010 by Adam Adkins

Updated Jul 26, 2010 at 10:37 AM

King rising junior baseball player Keon Barnum has received an invitation to the Breakthrough Series, a USA Baseball sponsored event that is aimed to give exposure to rising junior and senior players from urban areas who have typically not participated in other travel and high-end tournaments.

Lions coach Jim Macaluso said Sunday that Barnum, an first baseman/left-handed pitcher, will compete in the third-year event, which begins Tuesday and will be held at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. and at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Class AAA affiliate in Durham, N.C.

Eighty players are selected to participate in the event, which will consist of skills instruction and a round-robin series and championship game. Many college coaches are expected to attend.

Barnum hit .276 with eight doubles, a home run and 17 RBIs in 2010 for the Lions, who advanced to the Class 5A state semifinals.

Barnum is the second Hillsborough County player known to have received an invitation to the Breakthrough Series. Jefferson rising senior shortstop Steven Negron is the other.