Call to the pen
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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) /
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Toronto Blue Jays
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 31: Billy McKinney #39 of the New York Yankees gets ready during batting practice as he warms up before the start of MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on March 31, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Billy McKinney /

With the Yankees, trade to Jays

Once again the second-biggest name in a deadline deal, McKinney didn’t have the same surge with his new team in 2016 the way he did when he was acquired by the Cubs. He hit .234/.310/.375 for AA Trenton to finish the 2016 season with a .246/.342/.338 line with 19 doubles and 4 home runs over 491 plate appearances, with a 59/97 BB/K ratio.

McKinney struggled in a return to Trenton in 2017, but he did take off when he was promoted to AAA, with a .250/.339/.431 line with Trenton over 69 games before he hit .306/.336/.541 over 55 games in AAA with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Combined, he hit .277/.338/.483 with 29 doubles, 7 triples, and 16 home runs over 500 plate appearances.

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His impressive finish to the season earned him a spot on the Yankees Arizona Fall League roster for 2017. He made an excellent show in Arizona, hitting .279/.373/.426 with 5 doubles, a triple, and a home run, posting an 11/16 BB/K ratio over 19 games. One scout I talked with about McKinney’s AFL performance mentioned that it seemed he found a way to knock in a run every time there were runners on base, and indeed, he had 20 RBI in his 19 games.

McKinney made the opening day roster for the Yankees this spring, and interestingly made his MLB debut against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 30th, going 1-4. He was injured on March 31st, and he did not return to the field until May 10th. He was hitting for power this season in the minors but not for great average, posting a .227/.311/.475 line with the Yankees system, hitting 13 home runs and even posting a surprising 28/62 BB/K ratio over 267 plate appearances.

Because it’s an even year, McKinney was traded in a deal this July that sent he and a highly-desired infielder for pitching. McKinney and infielder Brandon Drury were sent to the Toronto Blue Jays for starter J.A. Happ.

Though he’s struggled with contact with the AAA Buffalo team since the Toronto Blue Jays acquired him, hitting .203, McKinney has hit 3 home runs over 20 games, garnering him a call to the big leagues Friday and a start, leading off on Saturday against the Yankees.

Ironically, he’s played in 3 MLB games this season. Each of them has involved the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees!

Next. Donaldson's rehab video may hinder more than help. dark

Whether Billy McKinney will turn into a starting outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays or he turns into an afterthought in the major leagues, his journey has been impressive to watch, and I’m curious where the Blue Jays will trade him in 2020 with a highly-touted infielder for pitching as they compete for the playoffs!

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