Call to the pen
Fansided

Toronto Blue Jays: Billy McKinney’s wild, strange trip

By Benjamin Chase

SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 06 : Oakland Athletics draftee Billy McKinney (L) poses for a photograph with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig at the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network on June 6, 2013 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 06 : Oakland Athletics draftee Billy McKinney (L) poses for a photograph with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig at the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network on June 6, 2013 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
Toronto Blue Jays
SECAUCUS, NJ – JUNE 06 : Oakland Athletics draftee Billy McKinney (L) poses for a photograph with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig at the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network on June 6, 2013 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /

Starting in left field and leading off today for the Toronto Blue Jays is the end point of an amazing journey for Billy McKinney

Yes, he made his debut for the New York Yankees earlier this year, but Billy McKinney‘s journey has really reached its ending today as he made his Toronto Blue Jays debut, batting leadoff and playing left field.

Billy McKinney was a very highly regarded high school player from Texas, considered to have the best swing of the 2013 high school class from the left side of the plate. Many felt he would be an above-average hitter for power and average but likely was going to be a below-average defender in the outfield or need to move to first base.

McKinney lasted until the 24th selection when the Oakland Athletics selected him. In his draft season, he showed all of that promise that everyone saw, hitting .326/.387/.437 with 3 home runs and 8 stolen bases, putting together a solid 20/33 BB/K ratio over 243 plate appearances.

The Athletics were aggressive with McKinney in 2014 as they sent the 19-year-old to high-A in his first full-season assignment, and he struggled with contact, even in the hitter-friendly Cal League, with a .241/.330/.400 line with 10 home runs and 5 stolen bases, posting a 36/58 BB/K ratio over 333 plate appearances.

However, in the middle of that first full season, the Oakland Athletics were in the midst of a pennant chase, and they were in need of pitching. To acquire that pitching, they turned to the Chicago Cubs, who had two very good starters available, Jason Hammell and Jeff Samardzija.

In what would become a trend on even years, McKinney was traded with a highly-regarded infielder in a mid-season deal for pitching, as he was packaged with Addison Russell and Dan Straily to the Chicago Cubs. Oddly, the Athletics would end up trading for future Cubs ace in that same trade deadline, acquiring Jon Lester. This began Billy’s Cubs tenure.

Home/Toronto Blue Jays