Brendan McKay Stats & Scouting Report

IP	18
ERA	1
WHIP	.67
BB/9	.5
SO/9	8.5

Full name Brendan Joel McKay
Born 12/18/1995 in Beaver Falls, PA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Louisville
Debut 06/29/2019
Drafted in the 1st round (4th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017 (signed for $7,005,000).

View Draft Report

McKay's amateur career goes down as one of the most decorated in the last 35 years. At Black Hawk High outside of Pittsburgh, McKay tossed 72.1 consecutive scoreless innings over his final two seasons, the second-longest streak in recorded U.S. high school history. A 34th-round pick of the Padres in 2014, he headed to Louisville and has been a two-time first-team All-American as the nation's top two-way player and the 2015 Freshman of the Year. This June he will likely become Baseball America's third three-time first-team All-American joining Greg Swindell and Robin Ventura. He dominated for two seasons on the mound and took his offensive game to a new level in 2017, including a four-homer game at Eastern Kentucky. In mid-May, McKay ranked in the top 10 nationally in OBP and slugging, and he was in the discussion for being the best pure hitter in the draft class. Scouts remain mixed on his overall power potential, but McKay is getting to his power more this season, and scouts believe his defense, baserunning and overall feel as a first baseman would improve if he gave up pitching. His best-case scenario as a position player is a career along the lines of that of Adrian Gonzalez, though McKay needs polish defensively to merit that overall comparison. His even-keeled demeanor and temperament means the game never speeds up on him and particularly comes into play on the mound. He excels at locating his 89-93 mph fastball to his glove side, pitching inside to righthanded hitters with aplomb and pitching on the black of the plate with angle consistently. His advanced fastball command--his best attribute as a pitcher--earns some comparisons to Cliff Lee, though he's thicker-bodied along the lines of Swindell. McKay's curveball, like his fastball, earns above-average grades. He commands it, lands it and buries it for strikeouts, and scouts believe both pitches could improve to true plusses if McKay gave up hitting and focused on pitching, particularly in terms of a consistent starter's routine. His changeup is a third pitch that he uses rarely and will have to improve as a pro. He could be a middle-of-the-order hitter or No. 3 starter, the latter in short order. His baseball athleticism was evident in his quick pickup of a cut fastball in late April, which helped him add a fourth pitch to his repertoire. McKay is a true top 10 pick either way, a testament to his baseball athleticism and IQ and overall feel for the game.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Fastball: 60. Cutter: 55. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 60.
Track Record: McKay was a two-way star at Louisville and won the Golden Spikes Award in 2017. The Rays drafted him fourth overall that year and signed him for just over $7 million. McKay raced to the major leagues, debuting in 2019 and pitching 49 innings and hitting his first career home run. He was expected to be a part of the Rays’ plans in 2020, but he was delayed by a positive coronavirus test and then had season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in August.

Scouting Report: While McKay’s power in the batter’s box is intriguing, the Rays have shifted his focus to pitching exclusively. McKay’s control and command have always been his biggest calling card. He locates all four of his pitches for strikes, helping them play up beyond their raw qualities. McKay’s 92-95 mph fastball was his best pitch in the minors, though it was less effective in the majors with its modest movement. His above-average 87-89 mph cutter avoids barrels as his main secondary. His curveball is an average offering and he busts out his average mid-80s changeup against righties. McKay struggled to put away hitters in his first big league stint, and now must see what his stuff looks like post-surgery.

The Future: Shoulder injuries have a lower success rate for full return than elbow injuries, and McKay’s future outlook is muddied by his shoulder surgery. The Rays hope he’ll be ready in the spring.
TRACK RECORD: McKay finished his time at Louisville as one of the best twoway players in NCAA history. He toyed with Double-A hitters in the first half of 2019, then blitzed through Triple-A Durham and made his major league debut on June 29. McKay was sent back to Triple-A for a couple of resets but was one of just two 2017 draftees to make a postseason roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: McKay's success is based around having plus command of solid stuff. None of his pitches are dominant, but his ability to precisely spot all four allows everything to play up, even if only his fastball and cutter are plus. In the majors, McKay struggled at times to finish off hitters—his fastball is relatively true and his cutter is more of a weak-contact pitch than one to generate whiffs. The changeup is an effective, average pitch against righthanders while his 80-82 mph curve has average depth. The Rays have let McKay continue to work at DH but stopped playing him at first base in 2019. While it is unlikely that McKay will ever be a true two-way player like Shohei Ohtani, his hitting ability helps deepen the Rays bench. He pinch-hit three times in September and homered, going 2-for-3 with two runs and a home run.

THE FUTURE: McKay should be in the big league rotation in 2020. He profiles as a solid mid-rotation starter who can provide value as a bench bat.
Track Record: The 2017 Baseball America College Player of the Year was a three-time first-team All-America selection while starring both at the plate and on the mound. McKay had few hiccups as a pitcher in 2018 aside from a month-long absence with a strained oblique.

Scouting Report: McKay is a better prospect as a pitcher than a hitter, and he has all the traits of a future No. 3 starter. He has plus control, a varied array of pitches and the aptitude to manipulate all of them. The cutter he learned during his junior year at Louisville has become a plus pitch. He varies its shape to where it looks like a bat-missing slider at times. His plus fastball has also picked up a little velocity. He sat 92-94 mph and touched higher, but it's his ability to spot his heater, especially to his glove side, that makes him effective. He locates his average curveball and changeup. As a hitter, McKay has excellent pitch recognition and strike-zone awareness, but he tilts into passivity. He tends to take early-count strikes. He has plus raw power but hit just six home runs in 56 games while batting .214/.368/.359.

The Future: McKay is ready for Double-A as a pitcher. That will test him as a hitter, but the Rays see no reason to force him to focus on solely pitching just yet.
McKay was drafted fourth overall and signed for $7.005 million. He promptly went out and ranked as the top prospect in the short-season New York-Penn League after signing. The Rays envision the two-way standout pursuing both pitching and hitting for the foreseeable future. McKay has a simple, sound swing that generates live drives to all fields. He adds above-average raw power that could generate 20-plus home runs as he adds more loft to his swing. McKay worked on incorporating his lower half at the plate during instructional league to get to that power, which should help him generate even harder contact over time. While his footwork at first base is solid, he needs reps at the position. On the mound, McKay commands a fastball that sat 92-94 mph while pitching on Sundays at Hudson Valley. His heater has excellent late movement, making it difficult for batters to barrel. He mixes his fastball with a hard cutter that he developed late in college and a slurvy slider that complements and is his distinct third offering. The Rays will allow McKay to play both ways until the dual responsibility becomes too much. McKay is determined to make the most of the rare opportunity to play both ways, and is supremely confident that he'll succeed. He will likely open 2018 at low Class A Bowling Green, but could move quickly once he starts building a foundation in pro ball.

Draft Prospects

McKay's amateur career goes down as one of the most decorated in the last 35 years. At Black Hawk High outside of Pittsburgh, McKay tossed 72.1 consecutive scoreless innings over his final two seasons, the second-longest streak in recorded U.S. high school history. A 34th-round pick of the Padres in 2014, he headed to Louisville and has been a two-time first-team All-American as the nation's top two-way player and the 2015 Freshman of the Year. This June he will likely become Baseball America's third three-time first-team All-American joining Greg Swindell and Robin Ventura. He dominated for two seasons on the mound and took his offensive game to a new level in 2017, including a four-homer game at Eastern Kentucky. In mid-May, McKay ranked in the top 10 nationally in OBP and slugging, and he was in the discussion for being the best pure hitter in the draft class. Scouts remain mixed on his overall power potential, but McKay is getting to his power more this season, and scouts believe his defense, baserunning and overall feel as a first baseman would improve if he gave up pitching. His best-case scenario as a position player is a career along the lines of that of Adrian Gonzalez, though McKay needs polish defensively to merit that overall comparison. His even-keeled demeanor and temperament means the game never speeds up on him and particularly comes into play on the mound. He excels at locating his 89-93 mph fastball to his glove side, pitching inside to righthanded hitters with aplomb and pitching on the black of the plate with angle consistently. His advanced fastball command--his best attribute as a pitcher--earns some comparisons to Cliff Lee, though he's thicker-bodied along the lines of Swindell. McKay's curveball, like his fastball, earns above-average grades. He commands it, lands it and buries it for strikeouts, and scouts believe both pitches could improve to true plusses if McKay gave up hitting and focused on pitching, particularly in terms of a consistent starter's routine. His changeup is a third pitch that he uses rarely and will have to improve as a pro. He could be a middle-of-the-order hitter or No. 3 starter, the latter in short order. His baseball athleticism was evident in his quick pickup of a cut fastball in late April, which helped him add a fourth pitch to his repertoire. McKay is a true top 10 pick either way, a testament to his baseball athleticism and IQ and overall feel for the game.
McKay has had a historically good spring, and will likely make history as the first player ever drafted out of his high school, though it did produce righthander Brian Omogrosso, who was drafted out of college. McKay was not a mainstay on the showcase circuit as a pitchability lefthander whose stuff was a little short, but his velocity has jumped and his results have been as good as any pitchers in the country. He had not given up a run this season and had 65 scoreless innings dating back to last season, giving him one of the longest streaks in high school baseball history. More than 77 percent of his outs have come via strikeouts. McKay hides the ball well in his delivery and his fastball sits 87-90 mph, touching 91 with average life. He has an out pitch in his curveball, which shows plus potential, and his changeup flashes average. He fills up the strike zone and projects to have at least average control. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound McKay has a solid, durable build with broad shoulders with minimal projection but present strength. If he reaches campus at Louisville, he has enough aptitude with the bat to be a two-way player.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Rays intended to develop McKay, one of the most decorated two-way players in college history, as both a pitcher and first baseman when they drafted him fourth overall in 2017. Those plans are beginning to change. McKay appeared exclusively at DH in 2019 and could be relegated to pinch-hitting in the big leagues. That’s a credit to his skill on the mound, where he developed into a viable mid-rotation starter—the Rays called him up three times in 2019—before his bat could catch up. Command is the name of the game for McKay, both in terms of his stuff and demeanor. His ability to spot his low-90s fastball and upper-80s cutter allows him to set up his above-average, low-80s curveball and occasional changeup. He draws swings and misses with all his pitches thanks to his ability to keep batters guessing with sequence and location.
As a pitcher, McKay quickly demonstrated that he was too advanced for MWL hitters. The lefthander toyed with lineups, spotting a plus mid-90s fastball with plus command as well as a plus cutter. His slider and curveball sometimes seem to get in each other's way, but each has at least average potential. McKay looked similarly advanced as a hitter but much less imposing. He showed a better knowledge of the strike zone than most MWL umpires, but he didn't do much with pitches in the zone. Scouts thought his approach was too passive and he was seen as a fringe prospect as a hitter. McKay's ceiling as a mid-rotation starter will continue to push him up the ladder, which makes it harder for him to catch up as a hitter.
No matter what kind of season he had, McKay was always going to wind up as one of the most interesting stories of the year. Besides the Angels' Shohei Ohtani, McKay was the sport's only true two-way player, and he qualified for this list both as a hitter and as a pitcher. He battled nagging oblique injuries this year, but still left a mark on evaluators. McKay was more lauded for what he did on the mound than at the plate. He showed a keen batting eye at the plate, but otherwise struggled to survive against more advanced pitchers. On the mound, McKay's stuff has taken a step forward. His fastball sat 92-94 mph this year and touched higher with extreme strike-throwing ability. McKay has plus control. McKay is sometimes around the zone too much, as he can learn to bury his pitches when ahead in counts or elevate a fastball up and out of the zone to set up a next pitch.
The Rays were willing to let the most decorated amateur in Baseball America history pitch and hit, so they gave their first-round pick an unusual schedule. The former Louisville star pitched on Sunday, served as a DH on Monday and played first base on Tuesday. He then took Wednesday off for his pitching side session, spent another day as a DH on Thursday, played first on Friday and Saturday and pitched on Sunday. Pitching once a week, McKay's fastball was as firm as it was at his best at Louisville. He pitched at 92-95 mph, pounding the zone and mixing in an effective cutter, slider and changeup. He has a chance to have four average or better pitches and he has advanced feel for pitching. At the plate, McKay was helpless against lefthanders (.107/.265/.107) but generally put together professional at-bats, showing a simple, effortless swing that generated plus power. His home runs were often no-doubters, including one off of a Jorge Guzman fastball. He was smooth around first base, even though because of his two-way status, he didn't get as much time to work defensively as the normal first baseman.

Top 100 Rankings

Best Tools List

Rated Best Control in the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020
Rated Best Control in the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019
Rated Best Power Hitter in the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018

Scouting Reports

Fastball: 60. Cutter: 55. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 60.
Track Record: McKay was a two-way star at Louisville and won the Golden Spikes Award in 2017. The Rays drafted him fourth overall that year and signed him for just over $7 million. McKay raced to the major leagues, debuting in 2019 and pitching 49 innings and hitting his first career home run. He was expected to be a part of the Rays' plans in 2020, but he was delayed by a positive coronavirus test and then had season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in August.

Scouting Report: While McKay's power in the batter's box is intriguing, the Rays have shifted his focus to pitching exclusively. McKay's control and command have always been his biggest calling card. He locates all four of his pitches for strikes, helping them play up beyond their raw qualities. McKay's 92-95 mph fastball was his best pitch in the minors, though it was less effective in the majors with its modest movement. His above-average 87-89 mph cutter avoids barrels as his main secondary. His curveball is an average offering and he busts out his average mid-80s changeup against righties. McKay struggled to put away hitters in his first big league stint, and now must see what his stuff looks like post-surgery.

The Future: Shoulder injuries have a lower success rate for full return than elbow injuries, and McKay's future outlook is muddied by his shoulder surgery. The Rays hope he'll be ready in the spring.
Fastball: 60. Cutter: 55. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 60.
Track Record: McKay was a two-way star at Louisville and won the Golden Spikes Award in 2017. The Rays drafted him fourth overall that year and signed him for just over $7 million. McKay raced to the major leagues, debuting in 2019 and pitching 49 innings and hitting his first career home run. He was expected to be a part of the Rays’ plans in 2020, but he was delayed by a positive coronavirus test and then had season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in August.

Scouting Report: While McKay’s power in the batter’s box is intriguing, the Rays have shifted his focus to pitching exclusively. McKay’s control and command have always been his biggest calling card. He locates all four of his pitches for strikes, helping them play up beyond their raw qualities. McKay’s 92-95 mph fastball was his best pitch in the minors, though it was less effective in the majors with its modest movement. His above-average 87-89 mph cutter avoids barrels as his main secondary. His curveball is an average offering and he busts out his average mid-80s changeup against righties. McKay struggled to put away hitters in his first big league stint, and now must see what his stuff looks like post-surgery.

The Future: Shoulder injuries have a lower success rate for full return than elbow injuries, and McKay’s future outlook is muddied by his shoulder surgery. The Rays hope he’ll be ready in the spring.
Fastball: 60. Cutter: 55. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 60.
Track Record: McKay was a two-way star at Louisville and won the Golden Spikes Award in 2017. The Rays drafted him fourth overall that year and signed him for just over $7 million. McKay raced to the major leagues, debuting in 2019 and pitching 49 innings and hitting his first career home run. He was expected to be a part of the Rays’ plans in 2020, but he was delayed by a positive coronavirus test and then had season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in August.

Scouting Report: While McKay’s power in the batter’s box is intriguing, the Rays have shifted his focus to pitching exclusively. McKay’s control and command have always been his biggest calling card. He locates all four of his pitches for strikes, helping them play up beyond their raw qualities. McKay’s 92-95 mph fastball was his best pitch in the minors, though it was less effective in the majors with its modest movement. His above-average 87-89 mph cutter avoids barrels as his main secondary. His curveball is an average offering and he busts out his average mid-80s changeup against righties. McKay struggled to put away hitters in his first big league stint, and now must see what his stuff looks like post-surgery.

The Future: Shoulder injuries have a lower success rate for full return than elbow injuries, and McKay’s future outlook is muddied by his shoulder surgery. The Rays hope he’ll be ready in the spring.
TRACK RECORD: McKay finished his time at Louisville as one of the best twoway players in NCAA history. He toyed with Double-A hitters in the first half of 2019, then blitzed through Triple-A Durham and made his major league debut on June 29. McKay was sent back to Triple-A for a couple of resets but was one of just two 2017 draftees to make a postseason roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: McKay’s success is based around having plus command of solid stuff. None of his pitches are dominant, but his ability to precisely spot all four allows everything to play up, even if only his fastball and cutter are plus. In the majors, McKay struggled at times to finish off hitters—his fastball is relatively true and his cutter is more of a weak-contact pitch than one to generate whiffs. The changeup is an effective, average pitch against righthanders while his 80-82 mph curve has average depth. The Rays have let McKay continue to work at DH but stopped playing him at first base in 2019. While it is unlikely that McKay will ever be a true two-way player like Shohei Ohtani, his hitting ability helps deepen the Rays bench. He pinch-hit three times in September and homered, going 2-for-3 with two runs and a home run.

THE FUTURE: McKay should be in the big league rotation in 2020. He profiles as a solid mid-rotation starter who can provide value as a bench bat.
TRACK RECORD: McKay finished his time at Louisville as one of the best twoway players in NCAA history. He toyed with Double-A hitters in the first half of 2019, then blitzed through Triple-A Durham and made his major league debut on June 29. McKay was sent back to Triple-A for a couple of resets but was one of just two 2017 draftees to make a postseason roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: McKay's success is based around having plus command of solid stuff. None of his pitches are dominant, but his ability to precisely spot all four allows everything to play up, even if only his fastball and cutter are plus. In the majors, McKay struggled at times to finish off hitters—his fastball is relatively true and his cutter is more of a weak-contact pitch than one to generate whiffs. The changeup is an effective, average pitch against righthanders while his 80-82 mph curve has average depth. The Rays have let McKay continue to work at DH but stopped playing him at first base in 2019. While it is unlikely that McKay will ever be a true two-way player like Shohei Ohtani, his hitting ability helps deepen the Rays bench. He pinch-hit three times in September and homered, going 2-for-3 with two runs and a home run.

THE FUTURE: McKay should be in the big league rotation in 2020. He profiles as a solid mid-rotation starter who can provide value as a bench bat.
Track Record: The 2017 Baseball America College Player of the Year was a three-time first-team All-America selection while starring both at the plate and on the mound. McKay had few hiccups as a pitcher in 2018 aside from a month-long absence with a strained oblique. Scouting Report: McKay is a better prospect as a pitcher than a hitter, and he has all the traits of a future No. 3 starter. He has plus control, a varied array of pitches and the aptitude to manipulate all of them. The cutter he learned during his junior year at Louisville has become a plus pitch. He varies its shape to where it looks like a bat-missing slider at times. His plus fastball has also picked up a little velocity. He sat 92-94 mph and touched higher, but it’s his ability to spot his heater, especially to his glove side, that makes him effective. He locates his average curveball and changeup. As a hitter, McKay has excellent pitch recognition and strike-zone awareness, but he tilts into passivity. He tends to take early-count strikes. He has plus raw power but hit just six home runs in 56 games while batting .214/.368/.359. The Future: McKay is ready for Double-A as a pitcher. That will test him as a hitter, but the Rays see no reason to force him to focus on solely pitching just yet.
The Rays intended to develop McKay, one of the most decorated two-way players in college history, as both a pitcher and first baseman when they drafted him fourth overall in 2017. Those plans are beginning to change. McKay appeared exclusively at DH in 2019 and could be relegated to pinch-hitting in the big leagues. That’s a credit to his skill on the mound, where he developed into a viable mid-rotation starter—the Rays called him up three times in 2019—before his bat could catch up. Command is the name of the game for McKay, both in terms of his stuff and demeanor. His ability to spot his low-90s fastball and upper-80s cutter allows him to set up his above-average, low-80s curveball and occasional changeup. He draws swings and misses with all his pitches thanks to his ability to keep batters guessing with sequence and location.