Mets LHP prospect Anthony Kay has been turning heads all season while dominating for Double-A Binghamton, putting himself on the radar for a potential call-up later this season. And now he's getting recognition from the industry.
Kay has vaulted into the Baseball America Top 100 prospects list in their latest update, coming in at No. 91.
He joins Ronny Mauricio (No. 81 after being No. 98 during the offseason) and Andres Gimenez on the list. Pete Alonso was BA's No. 48 prospect coming into the season, but he has now graduated from prospect status.
The 24-year-old Kay, whose pro career was delayed due to Tommy John surgery, had a solid season in 2018 while pitching for Low-A Columbia and High-A St. Lucie, but has kicked it into another gear this season now that he is a full year removed from his return from Tommy John.
In 11 starts this season, Kay has a 1.62 ERA and 0.92 WHIP and has struck out 61 batters in 61.0 innings. Along the way, he has improved his control, having walked just seven batters over his last five starts after walking 14 during his first six.
"He always had that sort of -- failure is not gonna define him," Kay's former coach at UConn Josh MacDonald told SNY in May. "And that's the thing I think that probably makes him best-suited (for New York). I think those are always the best kind of guys, when they're playing in the city. Everybody's gonna fail. I feel like some people when they're in New York and they fail -- Evan Roberts is ripping you and callers are calling in to Francesa -- in some parts of the country, that's just not how it is. It is in New York. I think it would be second-nature for him.
"Just a winner," MacDonald added. "He's gonna want the ball. And he's certainly not afraid of the moment -- at least for us he wasn't. I think he's one of these guys who -- he's going out there to win the game."
With the Mets' starting rotation now humming along -- including a rejuvenated and impressive Jason Vargas -- there isn't a need for Kay at the big league level at the moment. But if one arises, he could be ready to step in.
"Kay is a very advanced pitcher who would likely be in the Major Leagues right now if he had not essentially redshirted a year due to Tommy John surgery," MetsBlog contributor Joe DeMayo wrote in May. "He has a great feel for how to pitch and set hitters up, and he's added more velocity to his game which will help with strikeout numbers."
It has all come together this season for Kay. Now he's simply waiting for his chance with the Mets, and a likely promotion to Triple-A Syracuse between now and then.