MLB Draft 2017 | Brendan McKay drafted No. 4 by Tampa Bay Rays, who'll try him both ways
Despite the announcement made at the draft podium that would suggest otherwise, Brendan McKay evidently will continue his two-way ways as a professional baseball player.
The University of Louisville's superstar pitcher and first baseman was selected No. 4 by the Tampa Bay Rays in Monday night's Major League Baseball first-year player draft.
Though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred called McKay a first baseman when he announced the pick, the Rays informed McKay afterward that they would continue to give him the opportunity to pitch and hit once he starts his pro career and let his performance dictate his ultimate position.
More coverage
►MLB Draft 2017 | Ballard's Jordon Adell drafted No. 10 by Angels
►Seattle Mariners draft UK's Evan White in first round
►Pitcher? Hitter? Maybe McKay can do both in the pros
"I love hitting, and I love pitching," McKay told reporters on a conference call. "...If a guy can handle his arm and his body and not get worn down and stay healthy, it could add a whole new level in having two guys in one that can do both. The Rays have said we're going to experiment with it and see if it's a feasible thing to do."
McKay, who watched the draft with his family and teammates at U of L's baseball facility, turned down an offer from the Minnesota Twins to become the No. 1 pick, according to a report right before the draft from MLB.com analyst Jim Callis. The Twins took California high school shortstop Royce Lewis.
The Cincinnati Reds then took hard-throwing California high school pitcher Hunter Greene, and the San Diego Padres then chose North Carolina high school pitcher MacKenzie Gore.
McKay still became the highest-drafted player in U of L history, picked one spot higher than outfielder Corey Ray was taken by Milwaukee last year.
McKay is in line for a big payday soon, perhaps the biggest of any draftee. The MLB-recommended slot value for a signing bonus for the fourth pick is $6,153,600, and Callis tweeted it wouldn't be surprising if he gets more than that and challenges Kris Bryant ($6,704,000) for the biggest bonus under the current bonus-pool system.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound McKay - the Baseball America National Player of the Year - has been widely considered an equally impressive left-handed pitcher or slugging first baseman and was regarded as a top-five draft talent for either position.
"He's probably the first guy in as long as we can remember that has qualified on both sides of the ball to do this," Rays general manager Erik Neander said. "We're excited to get him in here and explore it further and do it responsibly but to make the most of his talent and the opportunity."
McKay, who earlier in the day was named the winner of the John Olerud Award for the third straight year as the nation's premier two-way player, has a .343 batting average, 17 home runs, 13 doubles, 56 RBs and a .464 on-base percentage.
His power numbers surged in 2017 after hitting only 10 combine homers his first two college seasons. McKay hit four homers in one game on April 25 at Eastern Kentucky.
MLB Network analyst and former Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd told the Courier-Journal that McKay's swing reminds him of former American League MVP Justin Morneau.
On the mound, he is 10-3 with a 2.34 earned-run average and school-record 140 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched this season.
He features a fastball in the 90-93 mph range, an excellent curve and superb command.
McKay will lead U of L (52-10) into this weekend's College World Series after getting the clinching pitching victory over Kentucky in Saturday's super regional. He may start U of L's opener on Sunday against Texas A&M.
Coverage from Omaha
More:Cards face Texas A&M in College World Series opener
More:Three things to know before Louisville heads to Omaha
More:CardsHQ Podcast | Can U of L make a run to Omaha?
ESPN college baseball analyst and former major leaguer Chris Burke told the Courier-Journal last month he would prefer to have McKay as a pitcher.
"If I’ve got a real No. 1 or No. 2 (starter) that I can count on to give me 35 starts and 20 quality ones and win 16 or 18 ballgames," Burke said, "I feel like there are fewer of those than there are guys who can do what he could do offensively. What do I think his ceiling is as an offensive player? I think he could be a very good major league first baseman and hitter, but I think his ceiling is higher as a pitcher, and I think it’s easier to find someone who could do what he can do offensively than to find what he can do on the mound."
McKay's lofty draft result adds another accolade to a resume that is as decorated as any college player in decades.
The Darlington, Pennsylvania, native is only the third player to be named a three-time Baseball America first-team All-American, and he's probably the favorite for the Golden Spikes Award that goes to the nation's best amateur player.
U of L coach Dan McDonnell has dubbed McKay both the greatest pitcher and greatest hitter in school history.
He continues a string of top draft results for the Cards, becoming the fifth first-round choice in the past three years. Multiple other U of L players are expected to be drafted in later rounds this week.