McKay, Smith to Headline 2020 Leadoff Dinner
November 18, 2019 | Baseball
The annual event is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m., ET at the Louisville Marriott Downtown.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville baseball alumni Brendan McKay and Will Smith will be the featured guests at the 2020 Leadoff Dinner presented by Republic Bank. The annual event is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 24 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Both of the former Cardinals made their Major League Baseball debut during the 2019 season.
The annual dinner will begin at 7 p.m., ET in the Grand Ballroom at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Tickets for the Leadoff Dinner are $65 each and can be purchased online here. Tables of 10 for the event are also available for $650. The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 17, while more information can be obtained by contacting Ronee Baxter at 502-852-2015 or at ronee@GoCards.com.
The 2020 Leadoff Dinner guests were among nine Louisville baseball alumni to see MLB game action during the 2019 season and 39 former Cardinals assigned to professional teams at the conclusion of the season. Click here to see the complete list of Cardinals in MLB and MiLB.
BRENDAN MCKAY
LHP/1B, TAMPA BAY RAYS
One of the most decorated players in college baseball history, McKay made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays on June 29, 2019 against the Texas Rangers. The southpaw was dominant from the start, retiring the first 16 hitters he faced before allowing the only hit he would give up on the afternoon with one out in the sixth. It marked the second-longest perfect game bid in a debut since 1961. McKay made 13 appearances, 11 starts, during the regular season for the Rays, and three relief appearances during the postseason. The two-way star also picked up his first MLB hit with a single against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 15 and launched his first big league home run one week later against the Boston Red Sox.
McKay starred for the Cardinals from 2015-17, capping his career by earning all seven major national player of the year honors in 2017, highlighted by winning the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy. The Darlington, Pa. native was a three-time winner of the John Olerud Two-Way National Player of the Year Award and became the highest MLB Draft selection in school history going fourth overall to the Rays in the first round in 2017. McKay was 32-10 with a 2.23 ERA during his Louisville career, in addition to hitting .328 at the plate with 28 home runs and 132 RBIs.
WILL SMITH
C, LOS ANGELES DODGERS
A catcher for the Cardinals from 2014-16, Smith made his first appearance in the big leagues on May 28, 2019 versus the New York Mets. The Louisville native burst onto the scene with two hits in his debut and his first home run in his fourth game. Smith homered 12 times in his first 28 games with the Dodgers, tying Rhys Hoskins for the most home runs through a players' first 28 career games in MLB history. For the season, Smith hit .253 with 15 homers and 42 RBIs as part of the 106-win Dodgers and made four starts behind the plate in the 2019 postseason.
A member of Louisville's 2014 College World Series team, Smith played in 151 games over three years with a .291 career batting average. In his junior season, he led the Cardinals with a .382 batting average, tallying seven homers and driving in 43. Following his junior campaign, the Dodgers selected Smith with the 32nd overall pick in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE BASEBALL LEADOFF DINNER
Since its debut in 1996, the Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner helps launch the baseball season by bringing some of the biggest names in the game to the Derby City. Last year's event was headlined by a pair of Cardinals alumni in Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Nick Burdi and left-handed pitcher Josh Rogers from the Baltimore Orioles. Other previous guests include Adam Duvall, Jose Bautista, Josh Hamilton, Andy Pettitte, Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Alex Rodriguez, Tino Martinez, Scott Rolen, Tommy Lasorda, Chad Green, Chris Coghlan, Jeff Francoeur, Sean Green, Nick Swisher, Adam Wainwright, Chris Burke, Chris Dominguez, Justin Marks, Trystan Magnuson, Zack Cozart, B.J. Rosenberg, Cody Ege, Matt Koch, Rick Sweet, Adam Engel and Kyle McGrath.
The 2020 Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner presented by Republic Bank will be the 14th under the guidance of head coach Dan McDonnell, who has placed the Cardinals among the nation's elite programs with five College World Series berths, eight NCAA Super Regional appearances, 12 NCAA Regional bids, nine regular season conference championships, two conference tournament titles, 38 All-Americans and 605 wins overall in his 13 seasons.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
The annual dinner will begin at 7 p.m., ET in the Grand Ballroom at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Tickets for the Leadoff Dinner are $65 each and can be purchased online here. Tables of 10 for the event are also available for $650. The deadline to register is Friday, Jan. 17, while more information can be obtained by contacting Ronee Baxter at 502-852-2015 or at ronee@GoCards.com.
The 2020 Leadoff Dinner guests were among nine Louisville baseball alumni to see MLB game action during the 2019 season and 39 former Cardinals assigned to professional teams at the conclusion of the season. Click here to see the complete list of Cardinals in MLB and MiLB.
BRENDAN MCKAY
LHP/1B, TAMPA BAY RAYS
One of the most decorated players in college baseball history, McKay made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays on June 29, 2019 against the Texas Rangers. The southpaw was dominant from the start, retiring the first 16 hitters he faced before allowing the only hit he would give up on the afternoon with one out in the sixth. It marked the second-longest perfect game bid in a debut since 1961. McKay made 13 appearances, 11 starts, during the regular season for the Rays, and three relief appearances during the postseason. The two-way star also picked up his first MLB hit with a single against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 15 and launched his first big league home run one week later against the Boston Red Sox.
McKay starred for the Cardinals from 2015-17, capping his career by earning all seven major national player of the year honors in 2017, highlighted by winning the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy. The Darlington, Pa. native was a three-time winner of the John Olerud Two-Way National Player of the Year Award and became the highest MLB Draft selection in school history going fourth overall to the Rays in the first round in 2017. McKay was 32-10 with a 2.23 ERA during his Louisville career, in addition to hitting .328 at the plate with 28 home runs and 132 RBIs.
WILL SMITH
C, LOS ANGELES DODGERS
A catcher for the Cardinals from 2014-16, Smith made his first appearance in the big leagues on May 28, 2019 versus the New York Mets. The Louisville native burst onto the scene with two hits in his debut and his first home run in his fourth game. Smith homered 12 times in his first 28 games with the Dodgers, tying Rhys Hoskins for the most home runs through a players' first 28 career games in MLB history. For the season, Smith hit .253 with 15 homers and 42 RBIs as part of the 106-win Dodgers and made four starts behind the plate in the 2019 postseason.
A member of Louisville's 2014 College World Series team, Smith played in 151 games over three years with a .291 career batting average. In his junior season, he led the Cardinals with a .382 batting average, tallying seven homers and driving in 43. Following his junior campaign, the Dodgers selected Smith with the 32nd overall pick in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE BASEBALL LEADOFF DINNER
Since its debut in 1996, the Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner helps launch the baseball season by bringing some of the biggest names in the game to the Derby City. Last year's event was headlined by a pair of Cardinals alumni in Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Nick Burdi and left-handed pitcher Josh Rogers from the Baltimore Orioles. Other previous guests include Adam Duvall, Jose Bautista, Josh Hamilton, Andy Pettitte, Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Alex Rodriguez, Tino Martinez, Scott Rolen, Tommy Lasorda, Chad Green, Chris Coghlan, Jeff Francoeur, Sean Green, Nick Swisher, Adam Wainwright, Chris Burke, Chris Dominguez, Justin Marks, Trystan Magnuson, Zack Cozart, B.J. Rosenberg, Cody Ege, Matt Koch, Rick Sweet, Adam Engel and Kyle McGrath.
The 2020 Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner presented by Republic Bank will be the 14th under the guidance of head coach Dan McDonnell, who has placed the Cardinals among the nation's elite programs with five College World Series berths, eight NCAA Super Regional appearances, 12 NCAA Regional bids, nine regular season conference championships, two conference tournament titles, 38 All-Americans and 605 wins overall in his 13 seasons.
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
BSB: Dan McDonnell Postgame vs. Xavier (2/17/26)
Wednesday, February 18
BSB: Tague Davis Postgame vs. Xavier (2/17/26)
Wednesday, February 18
BSB: Alex Alicea Postgame vs. Xavier (2/17/26)
Wednesday, February 18
BSB: Dan McDonnell Postgame vs. Michigan State (2-15-26)
Sunday, February 15
