Fleet-footed outfielder Adam Klein was traded to the RailCats from the Golden League’s Edmonton Capitals before the start of the 2010 season.

Klein, 26, was one of the Northern League’s chief pitcher pests in 2009 while a member of the Joliet JackHammers, leading the league with 58 walks and stealing 32 bases – good for second among all NL thieves.  The former Oakland Athletics farmhand played in a remarkable 94 of 95 games for the ‘Hammers last season and was also one of the league’s top defensive centerfielders, committing only six errors and rolling up 10 outfield assists.  In November, Klein was dealt to Edmonton as part of a four-player trade.

A top-of-the-order hitter, Klein carried an impressive .369 on-base percentage last year but even that was the lowest single-season OBP of his career, following a 2008 in which Klein batted .271 and drew a whopping 68 walks in 79 games for the Kane County Cougars (A), good for a .416 on-base percentage.  In three professional seasons, the Los Angeles native has a .264 average and .411 OBP, collecting 210 hits and 189 walks in 225 games, and has swiped 84 bases.

Originally selected in the 48th round of the 2007 Major League Entry Draft – he was the 1,409th overall pick – Klein reached as high as Double-A in his two seasons as an A’s farmhand.   Klein finished his college career at Division II Cal State-Los Angeles in 2007 when he was a Second Team All-Conference and All-Region pick while drawing a school-record 69 walks.