Brendan McKay (baseball)

Last updated

72+1⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings streak. Overall, he was 8–1 with a 0.56 earned run average (ERA) and 130 strikeouts. McKay was named the Pennsylvania Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in both his junior and senior seasons. [2] He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 34th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and attended the University of Louisville to play college baseball. [3]

McKay with Hall of Famer Frank Thomas at the presentation for the 2015 John Olerud Award McKay John Olerud Award presentation (19779172365) (cropped).jpg
McKay with Hall of Famer Frank Thomas at the presentation for the 2015 John Olerud Award

McKay was a two-way player at Louisville as a freshman in 2015, pitching and playing first base. [4] [5] McKay pitched in 20 games, making 13 starts. He went 9–3 with a 1.77 ERA, 117 strikeouts and four saves. In 61 games as a first baseman, he hit .308/.418/.431 with four home runs and 34 runs batted in (RBI). Due to his two-way success, he won the John Olerud Award. [6] [7] McKay was also named the Baseball America Freshman of the Year. [8] After the 2015 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League. [9] As a sophomore, McKay again won the John Olerud Award. [10] As a pitcher, he went 12–4 with a 2.30 ERA and 128 strikeouts and hit .333/.414/.513 with six home runs and 41 RBI as a hitter.

McKay won numerous awards as a junior in 2017. He won the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy and was named the Player of the Year by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Baseball America . [11] [12] [13] [14] He also won the John Olerud Award for the third consecutive season and was named the ACC Baseball Player of the year. [15] [16]

Professional career

The Tampa Bay Rays selected McKay in the first round, with the fourth overall selection, of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. [17] [18] His signing bonus with the Rays for more than $7 million, the second largest signing bonus since constraints were placed on the draft in 2012, behind only Hunter Greene. [19] The Rays announced that they intended for McKay to both hit and pitch in the minors. [20] He was assigned to the Hudson Valley Renegades and spent the whole season there. [21] In 36 games, he batted .232 with four home runs and 22 RBI along with pitching 20 innings, posting a 1.80 ERA with 21 strikeouts. [22] In the 2017 MLB.com midseason prospect update, McKay ranked as the 3rd best prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays farm system (Brent Honeywell, Willy Adames) and the 23rd best prospect nationally. [23]

McKay began the 2018 season with the Rays' Class A affiliate, the Bowling Green Hot Rods, and was subsequently promoted to the Advanced A Charlotte Stone Crabs, where he both pitched and played first base. [24] In 21 games for Bowling Green, he hit .254 with one home run and 16 RBIs along with posting a 2–0 record with a 1.09 ERA in six starts. In 32 games for Charlotte, McKay batted .210 with five home runs and 21 RBIs and in 11 games (nine starts) on the mound, he went 3–2 with a 3.21 ERA. [25] [26]

For the 2019 season, McKay was assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits. [27] He went 3–0 with a 1.30 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) with 62 strikeouts in 422⁄3 innings while batting .167 with one home run and seven RBIs with Montgomery before being promoted to the Triple-A Durham Bulls. [28] McKay was named to the 2019 All-Star Futures Game. [29]

On June 28, 2019, the Rays selected McKay's contract and promoted him to the major leagues. [30] In his major league debut against the Texas Rangers the next day, McKay took a perfect game into the sixth inning. He pitched six innings in the process allowing two base runners. [31] He made his debut as a batter on July 1 against the Baltimore Orioles, going 0-for-4 as the Rays' designated hitter. [32] He was sent down to Triple–A over the All-Star break but recalled on July 13, 2019, as the 26th man during a double header against the Orioles. [33] McKay hit his first Major League home run against Trevor Kelley of the Boston Red Sox on September 22.

McKay missed the beginning of the 2020 season after testing positive for COVID-19. He began working out again on August 11, but was shut down soon after with shoulder tightness. [34] On August 18, the Rays announced McKay required left shoulder surgery and would miss the entire 2020 season. [35] McKay returned in 2021, starting seven games as a pitcher, three with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Rays and four with the Durham Bulls. [36] Overall, he had a 7.82 ERA while striking out 13 batters in 12+2⁄3 innings. [36] On November 23, 2021, McKay underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). [37]

McKay underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2022, after suffering a UCL injury while pitching with the Bulls in July. On November 10, 2022, McKay was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Durham. [38] The Rays released him on November 14, [39] but re-signed him to a two-year minor league deal on December 15, 2022. [40]

McKay returned to the mound in the minor leagues at the start of the 2024 season but, by May 14, he was sidelined again by injuries in his pitching arm. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times , he had "a flexor/pronator strain with an accompanying UCL sprain (tear)." [41]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocco Baldelli</span> American baseball player and manager (born 1981)

Rocco Daniel Baldelli is an American former professional baseball outfielder and coach who is the manager of the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Baldelli quickly progressed through the minor leagues and made his big league debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on opening day in 2003. Baldelli quickly established himself as an excellent hitter and outfielder, and placed third in voting for American League (AL) Rookie of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Snyder (baseball)</span> American baseball player and coach (born 1977)

Kyle Ehren Snyder is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher and current pitching coach for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox. During his playing days, Snyder stood 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) tall, weighing 225 pounds (102 kg).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Zunino</span> American baseball catcher (born 1991)

Michael Accorsi Zunino is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, and Cleveland Guardians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Drake (baseball)</span> American baseball player (born 1987)

Oliver Gardner Drake is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays. In 2018, he became the first person to ever play for five MLB teams in a single season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Ciuffo</span> American baseball player (born 1995)

Nicholas Anthony Ciuffo is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles. Ciuffo attended Lexington High School in Lexington, South Carolina, and was selected by the Rays in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Glasnow</span> American baseball player (born 1993)

Tyler Allen Glasnow is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays. Glasnow made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 2016 and was traded to the Rays during the 2018 season. After six seasons with the Rays, Glasnow was traded to the Dodgers following the 2023 season and was named an All-Star in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Wisler</span> American baseball player (born 1992)

Matthew Robert Wisler is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres out of high school in the seventh round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and Tampa Bay Rays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Goeddel</span> American baseball player (born 1992)

Tyler David Goeddel is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for one season with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garrett Whitley (baseball)</span> American baseball player

Garrett Alan Whitley is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays as the 13th selection in the first round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Padlo</span> American baseball player (born 1996)

Kevin Michael Padlo is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Angels. The Colorado Rockies selected Padlo in the fifth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Solak</span> American baseball player (born 1995)

Nicholas Blake Solak is an American professional baseball second baseman and outfielder in the Seattle Mariners organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers. Solak attended Naperville North High School in Naperville, Illinois, and the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoby Milner</span> American baseball player (born 1991)

Hoby Trey Milner is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and Los Angeles Angels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesús Sánchez (outfielder)</span> Dominican baseball player (born 1997)

Jesús Enrique Sánchez is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). Sánchez signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent in 2014. He made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Marlins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Lowe</span> American baseball player (born 1994)

Brandon Norman Lowe is an American professional baseball second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2018 and was an MLB All-Star in 2019.

Shane Peter McClanahan is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2020 and was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe McCarthy (outfielder)</span> American baseball player (born 1994)

Joseph Edward McCarthy Jr. is an American professional baseball left fielder and first baseman who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants. He played college baseball for the University of Virginia. The Tampa Bay Rays selected McCarthy in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB draft, and traded him to the Giants in 2019. McCarthy made his MLB debut in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vidal Bruján</span> Dominican baseball player (born 1998)

Vidal Bruján Esteva is a Dominican professional baseball second baseman and right fielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays. Bruján signed with the Rays as an international free agent in 2014, and made his MLB debut with them in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Cronenworth</span> American baseball player (born 1994)

Jacob John Cronenworth is an American professional baseball infielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Gregory Jones Jr. is an American professional baseball outfielder and shortstop for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wander Franco</span> Dominican baseball player (born 2001)

Wander Samuel Franco Aybar, nicknamed "El Patron", is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021 and was an All-Star in 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "Blackhawk ace Brendan McKay has pro scouts swooning in advance of June draft". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Blackhawk southpaw Brendan McKay chasing history, tabbed Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year". pennlive.com. May 28, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  3. ↑ Steve Jones (June 5, 2014). "Louisville baseball signee Brendan McKay has pro option". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Brendan McKay: Louisville standout pitcher who can hit – or vice versa". newsobserver. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  5. ↑ Jeff Greer (May 29, 2015). "Even-keeled Brendan McKay making waves for Louisville baseball". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  6. ↑ Jeff Greer (June 30, 2015). "Louisville baseball's Brendan McKay adds another prestigious award". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Lexington, KY local and state news by the Lexington Herald-Leader - Kentucky.com". kentucky.com. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Brendan McKay named 2015 Baseball America Freshman of the Year". Timesonline. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  9. ↑ "#18 Brendan McKay – Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Brendan McKay repeats as John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award winner". collegebaseballhall.org. July 1, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  11. ↑ "McKay Wins Golden Spikes Award". GoCards.com. June 29, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Brendan McKay wins Dick Howser Trophy". Major League Baseball.
  13. ↑ "Brendan McKay named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's Player of the Year". LouisvilleCardinal.Com. June 2, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  14. ↑ "2017 College Player of the Year: Brendan McKay Excels On All Fronts - BaseballAmerica.com". June 8, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Louisville baseball – Brendan McKay claims Olerud Award ... again".
  16. ↑ "ACC Announces 2017 Baseball Season Honors". TheAcc.Com. May 22, 2017. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Rays draft Brendan McKay 4th overall". Tampa Bay Rays.
  18. ↑ "MLB Draft 2017 – Brendan McKay drafted No. 4 by Tampa Bay Rays, who'll try him both ways".
  19. ↑ "Rays give 4th overall pick Brendan McKay record-setting signing bonus". Fox News. June 28, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Brendan McKay, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the two-way experiment". DRaysBay. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Rays' Brendan McKay: Expected to make pro debut next week". CBSSports.com. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Brendan McKay Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  23. ↑ "MLB.com 2017 Prospect Watch". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Rays promote two-way prospect Brendan McKay to Port Charlotte-based Stone Crabs". TampaBay.com. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  25. ↑ Bires, Mike (September 25, 2018). "Tampa Bay Rays still see Brendan McKay as two-way prospect". Tampa Bay Times . Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Brendan McKay Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  27. ↑ Long, A. Stacy (April 3, 2019). "2-in-1: Biscuits' McKay strives to be rare 2-way major league star". Montgomery Advertiser . Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  28. ↑ Topkin, Marc (May 23, 2019). "Rays prospect Brendan McKay being promoted to Triple-A Durham". Tampa Bay Times . Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  29. ↑ Jim Callis (June 28, 2019). "Here are the 2019 Futures Game rosters". MLB.com. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  30. ↑ Klemish, Dawn (June 28, 2019). "Rays calling on McKay to debut Saturday". MLB.com.
  31. ↑ Topkin, Marc (June 29, 2019). "What a debut for Rays rookie Brendan McKay in 5–2 win". TampaBay.com.
  32. ↑ "Ex-Blackhawk star Brendan McKay goes 0 for 4 in hitting debut with Rays". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. July 2019.
  33. ↑ "Rays' Brendan McKay: Called up prior to Saturday's start". CBSSports.com . July 13, 2019.
  34. ↑ Topkin, Marc. "Rays' Brendan McKay shut down due to shoulder tightness". Tampa Bay Times.
  35. ↑ "Rays' Brendan McKay To Undergo Shoulder Surgery".
  36. 1 2 "Brendan McKay Amateur, College & Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  37. ↑ "Injuries & Moves: Luplow dealt to D-backs". MLB.com. November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  38. ↑ "Rays cut Ryan Yarbrough, execute three more trades to finalize roster". draysbay.com. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  39. ↑ "Rays Release Brendan McKay, Hopeful Of Re-Signing Him To Minor League Deal". mlbtraderumors.
  40. ↑ Rays have re-signed LH Brendan McKay to a 2-year minor league contract. He won’t pitch in ‘23 as he recovers from TJ surgery; was released earlier in offseason
  41. ↑ Farkas, Brady (May 14, 2024). "The 'Next Shohei Ohtani' Has Been Sidelined with Injury Once Again". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved September 23, 2024.
Brendan McKay
McKay with the Durham Bulls.jpeg
McKay with the Durham Bulls
Tampa Bay Rays
Pitcher / Designated hitter / First baseman
Born: (1995-12-18) December 18, 1995 (age 28)
Darlington, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
June 29, 2019, for the Tampa Bay Rays
Brendan McKay – College baseball navigation boxes
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.