RSN: Give us a scouting report on your offensive game, including where you feel you're best suited to hit in the line-up.
KN: I run well, and not being the biggest guy in the world, I'm a contact hitter. I've pretty much led off my whole life. I could maybe see myself in the 2-hole down the road, though, or even the 9-hole. You see a lot of speed guys there these days, sort of second lead-off hitters.
RSN: Tell us about your running game, including how many bases you've stolen this year.
KN: I was 31-for-34 in the college season, and 10-for-10 in the GCL. I've always had a passion for running. I ran the 100-meters and hurdles when I was in school. My parents were pretty athletic, too. My father played football and ran track, and my mother played volleyball and ran track. But stealing bases is more than just speed. There's a lot of homework involved, too. You want a game plan.
RSN: Give us an example of what you mean.
KN: One thing is looking at pitcher's tendencies. Down in the GCL, Lou Frazier, our base-running coordinator, helped me a lot with jumps, and U.L. Washington (the GCL hitting coach) would sit with me on the bench and talk about what to watch for from pitchers. Good recognition is important, because when you get a good jump you want to go for it. And if you get a bad jump, you want to make sure you shut it down.
RSN: After this year's draft, the Red Sox scouting director, Jason McLeod spoke well of you but said you were "a little crude at the plate." What do you think he meant?
KN: I've read stuff about me chasing pitches, so it's probably something like that. I'm definitely working on being more patient, polishing up my approach so I don't get myself out. I'm focusing on having good awareness of my own zone. I'm also working on staying relaxed and letting the ball do the work off my bat. I used to have trouble with pitches away, rolling over them instead of going the other way. U.L. Washington has been working with me on that, helping me to keep my hands inside the baseball and my head down on the ball.
RSN: Tell us a little about your defensive game.
KN: I love playing defense. As a kid, I was always more into defense than I was hitting. I used to take balls all the time. Maybe I'm paying for that a little now, because my D is better than my bat. But that's what I loved. My dad would ask me if I wanted to go to the cage, and I’d say I wanted to go out and take some balls.
RSN: McLeod, in talking about your defense, said you "project in the middle of the field, possibly centerfield." Baseball America suggests that you may ultimately end up at second base. As you're primarily a shortstop, what are your thoughts on those opinions?
KN: I think I can play anywhere. I was an outfielder when I was young, so I can track balls down out there. The throw is different, so I'd have to get used to that again, but it wouldn't be hard. It would be like riding a bike, really. I like the infield, though. There's more action, and I like playing in the dirt. Would second be good? Sure. I played there as a sophomore in high school, and then half a year when I was a junior. That's when I moved to short. I'll play wherever they want me.
RSN: You played a lot of third base in the GCL. Had you played there before?
KN: When I was a freshman in high school I played on the varsity team and was the third baseman. So while I love playing shortstop, I could definitely be a utility guy if that's what the team needs me to do.
RSN: Let's move over to your draft experience. What were your expectations going in?
KN: I expected to go around when I did; the 7th round. The draft is funny. There's where you want to go, and there's where you will go. You hear different things, but you need to be realistic and look at things objectively. But it was great to be drafted by the Red Sox, and my family and I decided that signing was the right thing to do.
RSN: Were you surprised that it was the Red Sox, or did you have a pretty good idea they were targeting you?
KN: I wasn't surprised. Their area scout, Blair Henry, came to visit the house, and when he left I kind of had a feeling. I felt like this was going to be it. And I can honestly say that I was excited when he came -- that someone from Boston came. I actually have family in Ft. Myers -- a grandfather and uncles -- so it was great to play down there this summer.
RSN: You graduated from high school in 2004, and spent this past season at Cosumnes River Community College in Sacramento. Where were you in 2005?
KN: I was at UC-Davis, but ended up red-shirting. I had some academic problems, which came from not being mentally prepared for school. My mindset was baseball, baseball, baseball, and because of that I paid the price for not spending enough time on academics and ended up ineligible. That really disappointed my parents, and it disappointed me. It taught me a valuable lesson: that you can't take anything for granted. But I learned from it, and when I got to Cosumnes I was able to turn my grades around and earn a 3.5 GPA. Getting an education is important, because you can get injured and have your career end at any time.
RSN: While you went to high school in California, you're actually originally from New Jersey. Which teams did you follow growing up?
KN: I've always been a fan of the game more than anything. With New Jersey being a lot closer to New York, I followed the Yankees more, but because I'm a fan of the underdog, I've liked the Red Sox, too. I love David Ortiz.
RSN: Why are you an Ortiz fan?
KN: Part of it is that he's a fellow Dominican. That's from my mom's side of the family. My dad is Puerto Rican, so I have a good mix of Latin in me. And, of course, he's a great player. I kind of wish I had his size. That would make me a pretty big shortstop, though!
RSN: Before I let you go, what was it like to be on the field at Fenway Park yesterday?
KN: It was incredible. Playing in the game was special, and in the ninth inning when (Joshua) Papelbon K'd the guy to end it and the crowd was going wild -- it was just mind blowing. Even before the game, walking in across the outfield, we were all just looking around in awe. I was next to Chih-Hsien Chiang, and I could just see his eyes blowing up. I think mine were, too.