Louisville 2-way star is Rays' top draft pick

The Tampa Bay Rays won't make Brendan McKay choose between the batter's box and pitcher's mound anytime soon.

McKay, the two-way University of Louisville star drafted by the Rays on Monday in the first round of the annual baseball draft, will apparently start his pro career as both a left-handed pitcher and first baseman.

"We spent a lot of time on this," Rays general manager Erik Neander said. "Brendan ... is someone that has qualified as a top-of-the-draft talent on both sides, and, at this point, our plan is to continue to let him explore that."

McKay, who was the fourth overall pick of the Rays, the parent team of the Montgomery Biscuits, said he welcomes playing both. First, he'll finish the season with the Cardinals, who are headed to the College World Series.

"I love hitting and I love pitching," McKay said.

McKay has a .343 average with 17 home runs, 54 runs scored and 56 RBIs this season. On the mound, McKay is 10-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 104 innings.

"It’s hard to choose one when I’ve had equal success or comparable success at both," McKay said. "I just love to be on the field and compete. It’s tough to pick one of those and find the one that’s better.”

McKay said he told teams throughout the scouting process that he "wanted to do both as long as I could."

Baseball America rated McKay as the No. 3 prospect available in this year's draft. The magazine's draft preview said he would likely become just the third player to be a three-time first-team Baseball America All-American.

"I would guess that you might ask which we like better, and our room would be split on which we like better, as a position player or a pitcher," Rays scouting director Rob Metzler said. "We have him evaluated as an elite talent both ways, as a position player and as a pitcher.

"At some point down the road, maybe the game of baseball will slow him down … but we’re going to let the game of baseball determine that."

The Rays snagged Oregon State right-handed pitcher Drew Rasmussen in the supplemental first round with the 31st overall pick.

Rasmussen is also headed to the College World Series. The sophomore has made just six appearances this season and is 3-0 with an 0.83 ERA in 21 2/3 innings.

TAMPA BAY'S ALL-TIME TOP PICKS

2017 (fourth overall pick): Brendan McKay, 1b, U. Louisville
2016 (13th): Joshua Lowe, 3b, Pope (Ga.) HS, $2,597,500 signing bonus
2015 (13th): Garrett Whitley, of, Niskayuna (N.Y.) HS, $2,959,600
2014 (20th): Casey Gillaspie, 1b, Wichita St. U., $2,035,500
2013 (21st): Nick Ciuffo, c, Lexington (S.C.) HS, $1,972,200
2013 (29th): Ryne Stanek, rhp, U. Arkansas, $1,755,800
2012 (25th): Richie Shaffer, 3b, Clemson U., $1,712,500
2011 (24th): Taylor Guerrieri, rhp, Spring Valley HS, Columbia, S.C., $1.6 million
2011 (31st): Mikie Mahtook, of, LSU, $1.15 million
2011 (32nd): Jake Hager, ss, Sierra Vista HS, Las Vegas, $963,000
2010 (17th): Josh Sale, of, Bishop Blanchet HS, Seattle, $1.62 million
2010 (31st): Justin O’Conner, c, Cowan HS, Muncie, Ind., $1.025 million
2009 (30th): LeVon Washington, of, Buchholz HS, Gainesville, Fla., did not sign
2008 (first): Tim Beckham, ss, Griffin (Ga.) HS, $6.15 million
2007 (first): David Price, lhp, Vanderbilt U., $5.6 million
2006 (third): Evan Longoria, 3b, Long Beach State U., $3 million
2005 (eighth): Wade Townsend, rhp, Rice U., $1.5 million
2004 (fourth): Jeff Niemann, rhp, Rice U., $3.2 million
2003 (first): Delmon Young, of, Camarillo (Calif.) HS, $3.7 million
2002 (second): B.J. Upton, ss, Greenbrier Chr., Chesapeake, Va., $4.6 million
2001 (third): Dewon Brazelton, rhp, Middle Tennessee State U., $4.2 million
2000 (sixth): Rocco Baldelli, of, Bishop Hendricken HS, Warwick, R.I., $2.25 million
1999 (first): Josh Hamilton, of, Athens Drive HS, Raleigh, N.C., $3.96 million
1998 (132nd): Josh Pressley, 1b, Westminster Aca., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., unavailable (Rays' first pick was in fourth round)
1997 (31st): Jason Standridge, rhp, Hewitt-Trussville HS, $700,000
1996 (29th): Paul Wilder, of, Cary HS, Raleigh, N.C., $650,000