Billy McKinney Already Turning Heads In Pirates’ Camp
As a first round draft choice of the Oakland Athletics back in 2013, Billy McKinney emerged as a Top 100 prospect in both 2015 and 2016.
During his minor league years as a prospect, McKinney was involved in a few notable trades. The first went down in July of 2014, when he was dealt to the Chicago Cubs, as part of a five-player trade that sent Jeff Samardzija to Oakland. In July of 2016, he was shipped off to the New York Yankees for Aroldis Chapman. Gleyber Torres was also in the deal. Two years later, in July of 2018, McKinney was on the move again, this time to the Toronto Blue Jays, in the JA Happ trade.
During the 2021 season, McKinney found himself on the transaction log twice - being traded to the New York Mets in May, and to the Los Angeles Dodgers in July.
McKinney would rejoin the Yankees in December of 2022, as he signed a minor league deal. Following an injury to Aaron Judge, he was called up to the main roster on June 7th. McKinney compiled 147 plate appearances with the Yankees, where he posted an OPS of .726, along with a 101 wRC+. He also drew walks at a solid, 11.6% clip, while his 41.1% hard-hit rate was the second best mark of his career.
This past offseason, McKinney would re-sign an MiLB deal with the Yankees on December 8th. However, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates a week later, in exchange for cash considerations.
Among non-roster invitees entering Pirates’ camp, McKinney was looked upon by some as being a potential dark horse candidate to make the club’s Opening Day roster.
As we approach the midway point of the Grapefruit League schedule, McKinney has been nothing short of terrific, and is actually one of the Pirates’ top offensive performers so far this spring, with a .364 batting average, and a 1.079 OPS, in 30 plate appearances. In addition to playing all three outfield spots, he can also play some first base.
Aside from the good spring numbers, McKinney was able to show last season that he can be a capable option, as a decent, reserve outfielder.
As a 29-year-old, McKinney hasn’t been able to live up to the top prospect hype, but perhaps he can be a late-blooming, OF, who is a useful contributor at the big league level. If McKinney continues his good spring progression, then it should start as early as Opening Day in Miami.