West High School (Torrance) that included being a High School All-American, a Daily Breeze Player of the Year (1993) award and All-CIF 1st team honors as a junior and a senior, Derek was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 50th round.

Rather than pursuing a professional contract, Derek chose instead to pursue a college degree and began by attending Los Angles Harbor JC. After two impressive seasons that garnered him All-State honors, Derek earned a scholarship to the University of Florida.

In 1998, as a senior Derek played in Omaha and the College World Series, in which Florida was the top-seeded team. Derek was also an All-SEC Conference 2nd team selection for the SEC Champion Gators. The Gators won the South Regional having to win through the losers' bracket. Derek hit two home runs to get them to the championship game, then singled home Brad Wilkerson (Toronto Blue Jays) with the winning run in an extra inning game, a 7-6 victory over Illinois to get them to Omaha.

In his collegiate career, Derek was able to play alongside with a number of future big leaguers that included: Justin Miller, David Eckstein, Mark Ellis, Brad Wilkerson, Josh Fogg, and David Ross.

After his career at Florida, Derek was drafted and signed by the Astros in the 16th round of the 1998 Draft. In his first season of professional baseball, Derek continued in his winning ways winning a New York - Penn League Championship. The following season while with the Michigan Battle Cats (Single-A), Derek was part of the team that won Midwest League Eastern Division. After three seasons in Single-A, he was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the Rule 5 minor league draft and made the climbed as high as Triple-A playing for the Toledo Mud Hens by 2002. In 2006, Derek returned to the Astros organization where he spent time playing for the Texas League Champions Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A) and he also played for the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Astros.

Derek spent 2007 with the Joliet JackHammers of the Northern League. The following season, Derek signed with the Grand Prairie AirHogs, for its inaugural season in the newly formed American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.  In the offseasons, Derek also played three winters in Venezuela with the Navegantes del Megallanes, winning the Venezuelan League Championship in 2001. Derek also played in the prestigious Arizona Fall League for the Maryville Saguaros.

Derek is single with no children and currently resides in Redondo Beach, California.

Keith continued his playing career at Cypress Junior College, where he found success as an infielder and as a pitcher. In 1996, Cypress finished 41-14 on their way to the Orange Empire Conference Championship.

Keith then transferred to Texas Tech in 1997, the first season Texas Tech competed in the Big 12, one of the best baseball conferences in the nation. Texas Tech won the inaugural Big 12 crown outright, hosted a regional, and was ranked No. 1 in the nation at one point in the season. Keith made an immediate impact on the program winning the Big 12 batting title as a junior. Keith earned First-Team All-America honors during his first season and third-team honors during his senior season with the Red Raiders. Keith was also a two-time First-Team All-Big 12 selection and  named the Big 12 Newcomer of the year in 1997. Keith is still considered one of the top players in school history, ranking amongst the top players in several different career and single-season offensive categories.

The Houston Astros drafted Keith in the 10th round of the 1998 draft. Keith's professional career began with the Auburn Doubledays of the New York - Penn League. In 2000, while playing for the Round Round Express (AA), Keith earned All-Star accolades as well as being named the Texas League MVP.

Keith made a speedy ascent through the minor leagues debuting with the Houston Astros on September 20, 2000. In his first Major League at-bat, Keith also got his first RBI with a sacrifice fly-ball off of then pitcher Rick Ankiel. Keith went on to play in six different seasons with three Major League ball clubs; the Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Oakland Athletics. In all, Keith has played 11 years of Professional Baseball, most recently playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) of the International League in 2008.

Keith (32) and his wife, Annette, have one daughter, Maya and one son, Cruz.