| IP | 173.2 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.19 |
| BB/9 | 3.26 |
| SO/9 | 10.42 |
- Full name Michael McRae King
- Born 05/25/1995 in Rochester, NY
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Boston College
- Debut 09/27/2019
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Drafted in the 12th round (353rd overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2016 (signed for $100,000).
View Draft Report
From the same high school that former Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli attended, King has been a steady contributor for Boston College, pitching the last two seasons out of the weekend rotation. The 6-foot-3 righthander doesn't have overwhelming stuff, but he commands an upper 80s fastball with sink, touching 92 mph. King mixes in a short-breaking slider that is difficult to square up but not an above-average offering. He pitches to contact but is a plus competitor and has above-average command. King went 7-4, 3.21 with 58 strikeouts in 98 innings this spring and was a large reason why the Eagles made their first-ever NCAA super regional.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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TRACK RECORD: King was acquired by New York in the 2017 deal that sent Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith to Miami. King moved quickly through the Yankees system after the trade but missed most of the 2019 season with a stress fracture and a setback in his rehab. He made his MLB debut later that year, and returned to the big leagues as a swingman in 2020.
SCOUTING REPORT: King is a bit of anomaly in a system built on big righthanders with big velocity. Instead, King gets his outs by mixing and matching an array of pitches in all quadrants of the strike zone. This year, he primarily went with a mix of a low-90s sinker, low-80s curveball and mid-80s changeup. He sprinkled in a four-seamer every now and then as well. Both of his fastballs and his changeup showed above-average vertical break. His rate of 3.71 walks per nine innings was the highest of his career.
THE FUTURE: King is likely to fill the role of spot starter and swingman going forward, and should have a spot in New York's bullpen in 2021. -
TRACK RECORD: The Yankees acquired King during the 2017 offseason in a trade that sent Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith to the Marlins. Smith and Cooper each emerged as productive pieces in Miami and King looked to be on the path to doing so as well. He raced from high Class A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2018 on the way to earning the organization's pitcher of the year award. A stress fracture and then a setback during the rehab process kept King out until July 3. Despite that, the righthander made his big league debut on Sept. 27 with two scoreless innings against the Rangers.
SCOUTING REPORT: He uses a mix of two-seam, four-seam and cut fastballs to carve hitters up in all quadrants of the strike zone and produce plenty of weak contact. King complements the fastballs with a low-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup that each project as average pitches. All of his pitches play up because excellent command and control of his arsenal.
THE FUTURE: After a mostly lost season in 2019, King should compete for a spot at the back end of the rotation in 2020. If he doesn't make the big club, he'll head back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for more seasoning. -
Track Record: The Yankees picked up King in a seemingly minor trade that sent the Marlins Caleb Smith and Garrett Cooper. He ended up as the Yankees’ most productive minor league pitcher in 2018, advancing from high Class A Tampa to Triple-A with little resistance along the way.
Scouting Report: Many pitchers in the Yankees’ system have a higher upside than King, but he is one of the safest bets to have a big league career, even if it’s most likely as a back-of-the-rotation starter. While none of King’s pitches is truly a knockout, his plus command amplifies his entire arsenal. He throws a pair of fastballs--a two-seamer and a cutter, the latter of which was added in Triple-A. The cutter is thrown in the high 80s, while the two-seamer averaged 92 mph. His two-seamer is his money pitch, and it has above-average action. He’s particularly adept at starting the two-seamer at the hip of lefthanded hitters and bringing it back over the inside corner for a strike. He backs up his fastballs with a changeup that is near plus and an average slider, though his command helps each pitch play up.
The Future: King will probably head back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin 2019 as he prepares for an in-season callup.
Draft Prospects
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From the same high school that former Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli attended, King has been a steady contributor for Boston College, pitching the last two seasons out of the weekend rotation. The 6-foot-3 righthander doesn't have overwhelming stuff, but he commands an upper 80s fastball with sink, touching 92 mph. King mixes in a short-breaking slider that is difficult to square up but not an above-average offering. He pitches to contact but is a plus competitor and has above-average command. King went 7-4, 3.21 with 58 strikeouts in 98 innings this spring and was a large reason why the Eagles made their first-ever NCAA super regional.
Minor League Top Prospects
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After being acquired in a small trade last offseason, King has done nothing but perform in 2018. He started at high Class A Tampa then finished in Triple-A, dominating at every stop. He’s lauded internally for the extraordinary amount of work he puts into every start, which has helped him game plan opposing hitters all year long. He led the system in strikeouts (152) and ERA (1.79), which also was second overall in the minor leagues. His pure stuff portends success, but not quite to the degree he’s had this season. He starts by commanding a pair of average 89-93 mph fastballs to both sides of the plate and backs it up with a slider and changeup that can generate swings and misses. The cherry on top of his season was a nine-inning shutout with 11 strikeouts against a New Hampshire lineup that included Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio and EL batting champ Harold Ramirez. Because he’s jumped so quickly this year, scouts are understandably hesitant about his future role, with most seeing him as a possible No. 5 starter.
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Control in the New York Yankees in 2019
Scouting Reports
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TRACK RECORD: King was acquired by New York in the 2017 deal that sent Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith to Miami. King moved quickly through the Yankees system after the trade but missed most of the 2019 season with a stress fracture and a setback in his rehab. He made his MLB debut later that year, and returned to the big leagues as a swingman in 2020.
SCOUTING REPORT: King is a bit of anomaly in a system built on big righthanders with big velocity. Instead, King gets his outs by mixing and matching an array of pitches in all quadrants of the strike zone. This year, he primarily went with a mix of a low-90s sinker, low-80s curveball and mid-80s changeup. He sprinkled in a four-seamer every now and then as well. Both of his fastballs and his changeup showed above-average vertical break. His rate of 3.71 walks per nine innings was the highest of his career.
THE FUTURE: King is likely to fill the role of spot starter and swingman going forward, and should have a spot in New York's bullpen in 2021. -
TRACK RECORD: King was acquired by New York in the 2017 deal that sent Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith to Miami. King moved quickly through the Yankees system after the trade but missed most of the 2019 season with a stress fracture and a setback in his rehab. He made his MLB debut later that year, and returned to the big leagues as a swingman in 2020.
SCOUTING REPORT: King is a bit of anomaly in a system built on big righthanders with big velocity. Instead, King gets his outs by mixing and matching an array of pitches in all quadrants of the strike zone. This year, he primarily went with a mix of a low-90s sinker, low-80s curveball and mid-80s changeup. He sprinkled in a four-seamer every now and then as well. Both of his fastballs and his changeup showed above-average vertical break. His rate of 3.71 walks per nine innings was the highest of his career.
THE FUTURE: King is likely to fill the role of spot starter and swingman going forward, and should have a spot in New York's bullpen in 2021. -
TRACK RECORD: The Yankees acquired King during the 2017 offseason in a trade that sent Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith to the Marlins. Smith and Cooper each emerged as productive pieces in Miami and King looked to be on the path to doing so as well. He raced from high Class A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2018 on the way to earning the organization’s pitcher of the year award. A stress fracture and then a setback during the rehab process kept King out until July 3. Despite that, the righthander made his big league debut on Sept. 27 with two scoreless innings against the Rangers.
SCOUTING REPORT: He uses a mix of two-seam, four-seam and cut fastballs to carve hitters up in all quadrants of the strike zone and produce plenty of weak contact. King complements the fastballs with a low-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup that each project as average pitches. All of his pitches play up because excellent command and control of his arsenal.
THE FUTURE: After a mostly lost season in 2019, King should compete for a spot at the back end of the rotation in 2020. If he doesn’t make the big club, he’ll head back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for more seasoning. -
TRACK RECORD: The Yankees acquired King during the 2017 offseason in a trade that sent Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith to the Marlins. Smith and Cooper each emerged as productive pieces in Miami and King looked to be on the path to doing so as well. He raced from high Class A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2018 on the way to earning the organization's pitcher of the year award. A stress fracture and then a setback during the rehab process kept King out until July 3. Despite that, the righthander made his big league debut on Sept. 27 with two scoreless innings against the Rangers.
SCOUTING REPORT: He uses a mix of two-seam, four-seam and cut fastballs to carve hitters up in all quadrants of the strike zone and produce plenty of weak contact. King complements the fastballs with a low-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup that each project as average pitches. All of his pitches play up because excellent command and control of his arsenal.
THE FUTURE: After a mostly lost season in 2019, King should compete for a spot at the back end of the rotation in 2020. If he doesn't make the big club, he'll head back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for more seasoning.
