The Tampa Bay Rays appear to have a future star with top prospect Brendan McKay. His unique skillset is such where he has made the top ten list at two positions.
There is no question that the Tampa Bay Rays are looking towards the future. The rebuild is on once again, as the Rays are rumored to be moving virtually everyone making any type of a salary. Evan Longoria is on the opposite side of the country, and both Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi have been the subject of trade rumors virtually all offseason.
Given the Rays economic situation, this is simply the reality. Tampa Bay needs those prospects to be able to contend, hoping that, in time, those players will become the foundation of the next run to the postseason. With top prospects like Brent Honeywell and Willy Adames, the future certainly appears bright.
As great as those prospects may be, they are limited to just that one position. Meanwhile, another Rays top prospect, Brendan McKay, was drafted with the fourth overall selection in the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft as a two way prospect. McKay has certainly lived up to his lofty draft status, as he was listed as the top first base prospect in baseball by MLB.com. Just a couple of days earlier, he had been named the fifth best left handed pitching prospect in the game.
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It is easy to understand the excitement surrounding McKay. He dominated in his brief time on the mound, as the Rays were looking to limit his innings on the year. In those 20 professional innings, he allowed jut ten hits and five walks, striking out 21 batters. There are concerns as McKay allowed three homers in that time, but he was generally unhittable otherwise.
Likewise, it is easy to understand why the Rays would want McKay to have focused on his offensive profile. In his 149 plate appearances, McKay produced a .232/.349/.376 batting line, hitting four homers and four doubles. It is not a surprise that he was strictly a first baseman in the Fall leagues, as he worked on his swing and defense.
Should McKay develop into the player that MLB.com feels he can be, there is the chance that he could revolutionize the game. Just like Shohei Ohtani, his ability with the bat and on the mound would give a team a great deal of flexibility. As teams tend towards a larger bullpen and shorter bench, players like McKay will be all the more valuable.
Next: Finding the Rays next ace
The Tampa Bay Rays already have an exciting minor league system. Brendan McKay is already one of their top prospects, but his skills at two spots on the diamond could make him even more valuable.