By JAMES MORAN | Tiger Rag Associate Editor
A once highly-sought after power arm is leaving the LSU baseball program.
Sophomore right-hander Cole McKay, a former blue chip signee out of Texas, is leaving the program, a source confirmed to Tiger Rag. LSU coach Paul Mainieri late told Tiger Rag that McKay will transfer to a junior college.
“We wish him well,” the coach said.
McKay hasn’t pitched this season while rehabbing from an offseason arm surgery. He pitched to a 0-1 record and 6.75 ERA in eight innings of work last season with 11 walks and 12 strikeouts. He was a 30th round selection of the Detroit Tigers in 2015 but opted to go the college route.
In his most promising outing, a start against UL-Lafayette in the Wally Pontiff Classic, he struck out five in two innings of work. He battled inconsistent command throughout his rookie season.
Listed at 6 foot 5 and 219 pounds with a fastball clocked in the mid-90s, McKay was a high school All-American coming out of Smithson Valley HS. However, that velocity appeared down significantly once he arrived on LSU.
This latest departure leaves LSU with a roster of just 33 eligible players, and two of which, Doug Norman (Tommy John) and Bryce Jordan (Knee), are out for the season.
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