Kieran Powell is attempting to become a two-sport player in a possibly unprecedented fashion.
The 25-year-old cricket star from St. Kitts and Nevis clearly intrigues Mets officials, who watched Powell work out last weekend in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The Mets — along with the Yankees — were among the 14 teams represented Wednesday, when Powell held an audition for scouts in Bradenton, Fla.
“It was a bit cold — you’re in New York, so you don’t want to hear that, but it took me a bit of time to get warm,” Powell told The Post by phone following his workout. “But once I got warm, I think I threw the ball real well and I started to hit the ball really well in the second, third and fourth rounds.”
Powell, considered among the most talented batsmen in cricket, had a contract dispute last year with his West Indies team and showed enough potential swinging a bat to earn an invitation from the Dodgers to spend two months working out in Southern California, where former players taught him various aspects of the game.
In addition to auditioning privately for Mets officials, Powell has worked out for the Brewers.
Powell has spent much of the winter training at IMG’s academy, gleaning nuggets from former major league outfielder Tim Raines Jr. and Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon.
But Powell still is getting adjusted to hitting with a rounded bat instead of the flat bat used in cricket.
“The most important thing is you try to keep the bat on a plane, because in cricket it’s really hard,” Powell said. “You want to keep the bat on a plane to give yourself the best possible chance of hitting the ball. The longer you stay through the zone, the more chances you have of hitting the ball.”
The speedy Powell is viewed as a potential center fielder, but he was shifted to right for his workout Wednesday.
“[Center] is something I have talked about in negotiations, but today they tested me in right,” Powell said. “That was to test my arm strength as opposed to center field, which is a shorter throw.”
The lefty-swinging Powell said he watched plenty of baseball on TV growing up and was captivated by Ken Griffey Jr.’s sweet swing.
No professional cricket player is known to have reached the major leagues, but to have gotten this far in the process has Powell dreaming about his possibilities.
“I just want the opportunity,” Powell said. “Whichever team gives me the opportunity, I will repay it a hundred times over. It is like hitting the lottery — something that you never expected. I just want that opportunity.”