McKinney keeps rolling with go-ahead hit

The sweet left-handed stroke that made Billy McKinney a top 100 prospect was honed six swings at a time. As a youngster, his dad would take a half-dozen baseballs to a nearby park and pitch to his son. After six swings, they'd collect the balls, then repeat the process over and over.

The process became increasingly annoying as the young slugger hit the balls farther and farther. Eventually, dad got son a batting cage for his birthday. They didn't have to leave their backyard and McKinney didn't have to leave the batter's box.

"When he got home from work, we'd hit, then I'd be allowed to hang with my friends," McKinney said. "He kept me consistent and made me work hard."  

The hours have paid off.

The Cubs' No. 3 prospect capped a three-RBI night with a go-ahead single in the 13th inning on Wednesday night as Double-A Tennessee outlasted Chattanooga, 4-2.

McKinney said he has a simple approach at the plate: "See the pitch and hit it hard." And he acted upon that philosophy on a 2-1 fastball from reliever Adrian Salcedo with the bases loaded and two outs in the 13th. The 20-year-old outfielder pulled the pitch into left field to score Wes Darvill and Jacob Hannemann.

"I didn't try to do too much," McKinney said. "I just wanted to put the ball in play."

It was the second time in a week delivered the decisive hit in the ninth inning or later.

McKinney also doubled in a run in the third to extend his hitting streak to seven games. He's hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games and is batting .286/.349/.421 with three homers and 38 RBIs in 76 games since a promotion from Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach.

Despite winning for the fifth time in six games, McKinney and his teammates were too tired to celebrate much. That wasn't the case earlier this season when teammate Kyle Schwarber was called up to the Cubs.

"We were all pretty ecstatic. That was a cool experience for the entire team," McKinney said.

Kris Bryant and Addison Russell are two more of his former teammates who've reach "The Show." Selected by the A's in the first round of the 2013 Draft, McKinney and Russell were key pieces the Cubs received in the blockbuster deal last season that sent Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland. McKinney said he keeps in touch regularly with his now famous friends.

"I try to pick their brains to learn something new every day. They've told me to wait for my pitch to hit," he said.

McKinney is quick to deflect praise, noting, for example, that Cubs No. 6 prospect Albert Almora is also swinging a hot bat. But with all the young talent moving through the Chicago system, it's hard not to think about who might be next.

MLB Pipeline credits McKinney's "outstanding hand-eye coordination, bat speed and an advanced approach." He's needed it as he reached Double-A less than two years after he was drafted.  

"Pitchers are consistent and they have a plan," he said of Southern League hurlers. "They've earned their spots up here."

So has McKinney, who got there six swings at a time.