Getting to Know the Newest Met, Billy McKinney

The injury-depleted New York Mets have made a trade to try to bolster their roster, as we learned last night that they had acquired Billy McKinney from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for 17-year-old pitching prospect Pedro Quintana.

McKinney took Jordan Yamamoto‘s place on the 40-man roster, as the pitcher was transferred to the 60-day IL with shoulder soreness. McKinney will now join the Mets on this homestand and look to add a spark to a lineup that has struggled to put runs on the board as of late.

Career Overview

Billy McKinney is a Texas native, having spent his high school playing career at Plano West Senior High School in Plano, Texas. The outfielder was committed to stay in state for his college baseball career, having committed to Texas Christian University before he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics with the 24th overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft.

After spending parts of two seasons in the A’s farm system, McKinney was traded along with Addison Russell and Dan Straily to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel.

Following the trade, McKinney finished off the 2014 season playing for the Daytona Cubs in the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, hitting .301/.390/.432 across 51 games played.

Due to his standout performance after the trade, McKinney was considered a top-100 prospect heading into the 2015 season, as Baseball America listed him as the No. 83 prospects in baseball.

McKinney struggled in 2016, producing a .677 OPS in his first 88 games at the Double-A level. He would be traded mid-season as part of the deal that send Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs in exchange for a package of prospects that included both McKinney and future All-Star Gleyber Torres.

At 22 years old, the 2017 season was a good one for McKinney, as he developed a power stroke hitting 16 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A in the Yankees farm system. He was added to their 40-man roster following the season and went on to make his debut on March 30, 2018, in place of injured centerfielder Aaron Hicks.

McKinney recorded a hit in his first at-bat, but after appearing in just two games he wound up on the IL himself, spraining the AC joint in his left shoulder. He never made another appearance at the big league level with the Yankees, and was traded once again at the deadline, this time for J.A. Happ.

Current Met Brandon Drury was actually included in that trade as well, going with McKinney to the Toronto Blue Jays.

In 36 games played with the Blue Jays in 2018, McKinney hit .252/.320/.470, with six home runs and a .790 OPS. McKinney broke camp with the Blue Jays in 2019, but struggled in his 84 games played, producing just a .696 OPS as he bounced back and forth between the big league club and Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.

McKinney played just two games for the Blue Jays in the COVID-shorted 2020 season, going 2-for-3. He was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers on September 14th, three days after being DFA’d by Toronto.

This season, the 26-year-old outfielder once again struggled to produce offensively. He hit .207/.260/.359, with three home runs in his 100 plate appearances with the Brewers. After acquiring Willy Adames and Trevor Richards in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays last week, Milwaukee DFA’d McKinney to make room on the 40-man roster.

2021 Outlook

It is no secret that the Mets simply need warm bodies right now with all the injuries they have sustained in the first half of the season. However McKinney presents an interesting profile for New York, as there is certainly some untapped upside with the former top prospect.

Unlike the alternative options on the market in recent addition Cameron Maybin, or Dee Strange-Gordon, McKinney should still be in the prime of his career. He currently ranks in the 67th percentile for sprint speed and in the 79th percentile for outfield jump.

McKinney has received ample playing time at both corner spots in the outfield during his career and has even played a little first base. On the season, McKinney has been worth 2 OAA and 4 DRS out in left field, where he primarily played for the Brewers.

When it comes to his offensive profile, McKinney certainly fits in with this current Mets team as he has been unable to hit for a high average, or get on-base at high clip. Still, there is some pop in the Texas native’s bat, as his career .422 slugging percentage is very solid.

Considering the current state of the Mets outfield, you would have to expect McKinney will get every opportunity to prove his worth as he provides strong defense in the corners, with the ability to change the game with one swing of the bat.

The Mets are hoping to catch lightening in a bottle with McKinney. We will see if he makes the most of this opportunity.