Baseball America Names McKay Preseason First Team All-American
January 30, 2017 | Baseball
Junior two-way standout was 12-4 with 128 strikeouts on the mound while hitting .333 with six home runs at the plate in 2016
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville junior lefthanded pitcher and first baseman Brendan McKay was named Monday as a preseason First Team All-American by Baseball America. It was the third preseason honor for McKay, who was chosen as the preseason National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper and a first team selection by Perfect Game.
McKay won Baseball America's Freshman of the Year honor in 2015 and was a BA First Team All-American in each of his first two seasons. He is aiming to be a three-time first-team All-American, a feat previously accomplished by Texas lefty Greg Swindell (1984-86) and Oklahoma State third baseman Robin Ventura (1986-88). LSU's Alex Bregman (2013, 2015) and San Diego's Kris Bryant (2012-13) are recent two-time first-teamers in addition to McKay.
A native of Darlington, Pennsylvania, who was tabbed as the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year in each of his first two collegiate seasons, McKay had a 12-4 record with a 2.30 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 17 starts on the mound in 2016, while hitting .333 with six home runs, 19 doubles and 41 RBI at the plate. The two-time All-ACC First Team selection also had a stellar summer hitting .326 with five RBI in 13 starts as a hitter and registering a 2-1 record with a 1.35 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 13.1 innings on the mound for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
McKay emerged on the scene with an impressive rookie season in 2015 when he was selected as national Freshman of the Year by four different organizations, was a First Team All-American and won his first John Olerud Award. McKay closed his first season at Louisville with a 9-3 record, 1.77 ERA, four saves and 117 strikeouts in 96.2 innings on the mound while also hitting .308 with four home runs, 34 RBI and 14 doubles in 58 starts as a hitter.
The No. 6 Cardinals will open the 2017 season on Feb. 17-19 in Clearwater, Florida with a trio of games at Spectrum Field, the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Louisville will face Alabama State on Feb. 17 at 3 p.m., ET, No. 22 Maryland on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m., and Ball State on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. The 2017 home-opener for the Cardinals is set for Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium against Eastern Kentucky.
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