Prospect Pad: Q&A With New York Mets Prospect Anthony Kay

We sat down with New York Mets pitching prospect Anthony Kay, who was ranked within our Top 100 prospects earlier this season, at the 2019 Louisville Slugger Prospect Pad. The full text of the interview is below. 

JUSTIN COLEMAN: Hey, guys. Welcome back to the Baseball America Prospect Pad. I’m Justin Coleman joined by Mets left-hander Anthony Kay. Anthony, congrats on the Futures Game selection. What does the selection mean to you on a professional level?

ANTHONY KAY: Yeah, it’s awesome. I mean, you know, you look at the track record and see all the guys that have played in it and it’s a really good honor.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: What do you think has been a key for you this year in terms of your development?

ANTHONY KAY: Attacking the zone more, you know, going right after guys rather than trying to get a little too cute and things like that.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: During your amateur time, I know that you were a pitcher that had two pitches. Now you’ve kind of developed a third. Has that really opened up the floor for you in terms of gliding up to the minors having success at Double-A, Binghamton and now being moved to Triple-A, Syracuse?

ANTHONY KAY: Yeah, definitely. I mean, whenever you can add, you know, another pitch definitely helps. And, you know, you get a little bit creative in getting more guys out.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: What do you think has been the biggest challenge for you in terms of moving up to Triple-A now after dominating at Double-A?

ANTHONY KAY: Yeah. The hitters are a little bit more disciplined, you know, they’re not going to swing at as much stuff out of the zone, things like that. You know, the new ball’s also a little bit — you gotta get use to it a little bit, you know, kind of get a feel for it little bit more.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: Has that been a difficult adjustment with the new baseball, trying to get a feel for it and trying to get your grip down and movement and things like that?

ANTHONY KAY: Yeah. I mean, it’s just a little slight adjustments you have to make and, you know, I think I’m starting to get a little bit more used to it now, a couple of starts in.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: So who do you think has been one of your bigger influences in your career, to this point, in the minors?

ANTHONY KAY: The pitching coach in Binghamton, Jonathan Hurst. I’ve been with him in Columbia and now Binghamton. So it’s two years with him and, you know, I think he’s been a key part of it.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: What do you think he’s taught you and what do you think — how will that help you ultimately transition up to a big-league role.

ANTHONY KAY: He just tries to keep the mechanics clean and, you know, keep everything, you know, sound and be more consistent with everything, you know. Because I kind of try and throw a little bit too hard sometimes and, you know, he wants to keep everything consistent.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: Gotcha. So focusing back to the Futures Game, are there one or two players that you’ve heard of that you haven’t seen that you’re excited to see play? Anybody in particular?

ANTHONY KAY: Well, Kelenic, I’ve heard a lot about him so, you know, I’m excited to see him play, and hopefully I get to face him.

JUSTIN COLEMAN: Okay, yeah. All right. Absolutely. Well, Anthony, thanks so much for your time. Good luck.

ANTHONY KAY: Thank you.