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Minnesota Twins: Brendan McKay Could Be First Taken On Draft Day

By Jackson Bruce

May 20, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of the field after the weather postponed a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
May 20, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of the field after the weather postponed a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Minnesota Twins have been linked to many names at the top of the draft. The latest is, again, Brendan McKay. Is he the right choice?

The Minnesota Twins have had a few different prospects names linked to them, as they have the first overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft. There are plenty of good options at the top of the board, and names have been tossed around for weeks. Brendan McKay is now popping up in discussions once again.

McKay is a two-way player coming out of Louisville. He has aspirations to be a two-way player in the majors, which has not been done in quite some time. His skill sets at the plate and on the mound are both equally impressive.

As a pitcher, McKay went 9-3  with a 2.37 ERA and 124 strikeouts over 91 innings of work. He recently became the school’s all-time leader in strikeouts. As a first baseman, McKay batted .363 with 17 home runs and a 1.186 OPS. It is hard not to be impressed with those numbers.

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It has been reported by Jim Callis at MLB.com that the Twins may be leaning toward taking McKay over high school phenom Hunter Greene and reported Twins favorite Kyle Wright. Callis said this about the possibility of McKay being picked numner one:

"Though the teams selecting behind the Twins think they’re leaning toward Vanderbilt right-hander Kyle Wright, I started hearing whispers Thursday night that Minnesota prefers Louisville two-way star Brendan McKay. That noise is getting louder Friday, and I now believe the Twins will take McKay No. 1, as a left-handed pitcher rather than a first baseman, unless California high school righty Hunter Greene overwhelms them in his visit to Target Field on Friday afternoon."

The Twins need to get this pick right.

While McKay has impressed at Louisville, and may be more major league ready with his college experience, the Twins need to be sure to get the best player in the draft. Hunter Greene is thought, by many, to be that type of talent. The problem with him may be his contract demands. Kyle Wright may also demand a steeper price than McKay.

Price should not be a huge factor in their decision, however. The Twins are heading into a potential golden age with the likes of young stars Miguel Sano and Jose Berrios leading the charge. They need to add the best player possible to be ready in the next few years to keep that idea alive.

While McKay looks to be a good pick at number one, it is hard to go against the fact that scouts believe Greene is a generational talent. If he is the phenom scouts believe he is, the Twins will be kicking themselves for not drafting him with the top pick. Although their front office is fairly new, the Twins need to buck the notion they can’t draft well, which has been shown in recent years.

Next: Four Potential All-Stars on the Twins

This draft is the most important one the Twins have had in a long time. Their franchise is looking good and this pick could propel them to where they want to be: the World Series. Whoever they decide on, they need to be sure he is the franchise guy worth spending the first pick on.

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