Brendan McKay is a left-handed pitcher and first baseman who plays college baseball for the Louisville Cardinals. McKay is listed at 6’2” and 220 pounds, and has a body and delivery that reminds some of Jon Lester. The Pennsylvania native was overlooked in the 2014 draft, due to his commitment to Louisville and getting less exposure than prep players from states with warmer weather. Three years ago, the San Diego Padres selected him as a pitcher in the 34th round. There is little doubt that he is one of the most intriguing players in this class.

McKay’s improved performance as a hitter has been more surprising than his pitching, and he is one of the better hitters available. His load starts with his front foot, and since he only has average bat speed he could have trouble catching up to big league fastballs. He also lets his weight get to far forward towards the pitcher, and his swing is not made for deep flyballs. McKay will only hit for average power at best and is not a good defensive player, so teams might be afraid to select him as an everyday player. He has continued to improve throughout his college career, so some might be willing to take a gamble on him as a hitter.

As a pitcher, McKay has dominated college level hitters, and is durable enough to pitch in a big league rotation. He does not have one pitch that will blow you away, but has command of his low nineties fastball along with his curveball, which is his best pitch. His changeup needs work, but some scouts think that he can improve it enough to make it big league average. McKay will likely end up in the middle of a rotation, and is viewed as having one of the highest floors in the draft. The consensus views him as a better pitcher than hitter, and that is where he will likely play in the majors.

When the Twins have the first pick in June, McKay will be one of the players that they consider drafting. The industry believes that at the current moment he is their favorite player, although that could change quickly. If the Twins select McKay it could be either as a pitcher or hitter, but a pitcher is more likely to be their pick than a hitter. Advanced college players have a history of being selected first overall, and McKay is already close to his ceiling. His combination of being a two-way player and having had success in college could make it hard for the Twins to pass.

Brendan McKay is truly an intriguing player, but he is not going to wow evaluators with tools or his pitching repertoire. He may be better suited for the National League, where he could both hit and pitch, but it would be unwise for a team to use him in both roles during the development process. Some view him as a low-risk player because he could move over to first if he does not develop as a pitcher, but that itself comes with a lot of risk. Taking McKay as a hitter would be a bigger gamble, since he is further behind there, and it would be harder for him to transition back to the mound if he cannot hit in the pros. The team that drafts McKay will get a player who could make it to the big leagues quickly.