On Tuesday, Brendan McKay, the pitcher, made his debut for the Durham Bulls, the Tampa Bay Rays Triple-A affiliate. McKay, the batter, had already gone 0-for-4 as the Bulls' designated hitter over the weekend. The fourth overall pick by Tampa Bay in the 2017 draft was selected as a two-way player from the University of Louisville. He started his professional career playing first base in addition to pitching and hitting. However, the Rays took his first baseman's glove away this year in an effort to simplify his focus.
McKay is a .208 hitter since being drafted, so Durham is likely where his bat will stay for the most part. Given that the Rays are one of the more creative organizations, I am sure there will be situations in which his ability to handle a bat will provide some unique opportunities. But McKay is going to be a major leaguer -- perhaps very soon -- because of his ability to pitch.
