Hyannis Harbor Hawks second baseman Ryan McKay hit a leadoff double against the Brewster Whitecaps in the first inning of their most recent game against each other. When he got to second base, he took a look at his teammates in the dugout and dabbed to celebrate his early game hit.
That kind of energy has been a big reason behind the Hawks’ 7-3-1 start to the season, continuing their stranglehold of first place in the West Division after their latest victory over the Orleans Firebirds.
In the Orleans game, McKay went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, driving in one run on a single and another on a sac fly. The energy in Hyannis has been unmistakable to start the summer, and McKay is right in the middle of it.
“The ability to hit the ball to any part of the field is pretty special. It does not matter [if there is a] left-handed, right-handed [pitcher], he is very comfortable in the box,” said Hyannis manager Mitch Karraker about McKay. “We feel really good when he is in there. You feel like you can get the next guy up with a guy on base or even more. He is having a great season so far.”
McKay came to Hyannis on the heels of a very successful Sophomore season with Michigan State University. In 54 games, McKay put together a slash line of .319/.421/.495 with five home runs, 20 doubles, 28 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases for the Spartans.
In the fall, when McKay’s coach at Michigan State brought up the possibility of spending the summer with the Harbor Hawks, McKay knew right away he wanted to be a part of the Cape League atmosphere and jumped at the chance to be part of the Hawks.
Going from facing Big 10 competition to Cape League competition is a step up for McKay, who was ready for the adjustment before the season even started.
“You even get into better competition because Cape [League] is the best of the best,” said McKay. “I have a great hitting coach back home, so he dialed me in, my swing. Trusting me and trusting my ability to hit the ball hard is what I’ve done that has worked.”
In eight games with the Hawks, McKay has a .375/.417/.438 slash line with two doubles, three walks, and five RBIs. He’s tied for third on the team with his .375 batting average, he sits fourth on the team in slugging percentage at .438, and his .855 OPS is fifth among Hawks hitters. His 12 hits on the season leads the team.
McKay, who has been a mainstay at the top of the Hawks lineup, comes into each at-bat reading the situation of the game and deciding what he wants to do based on that.
“I go into the box and I read the game, and I’m like ‘alright, what is my goal this at-bat?’ No matter where you are in the lineup, but being at the top of the lineup, that is a nice thing. Just trying to know what my role is in that exact situation is what I am doing,” said McKay.
That approach has also helped McKay with his decisions at the plate, and it’s paying off with plenty of hard hits and walks mixed in.
“My main goal is to hit balls hard, and when you hit balls hard, you have a better chance of getting a hit, and that’s key,” said McKay. “I am walking a lot, trying to keep my strikeout rate down, that is also important.”
With as many hits as McKay has, that also gives him plenty of chances to celebrate on base with a dab. Made famous by NFL quarterback Cam Newton, McKay explained that he just decided to start celebrating with the dab one day in the Michigan State locker room.
“We were just chilling in the locker room wondering what would be a funny celebration, and I said ‘let’s bring back the dab,’” said McKay. “I just do it as a joke, it is a funny thing, so I just carried it on to summer ball.”
McKay has been off to a fantastic start for the Hawks this summer. If he keeps up the production at the plate, there will be plenty more chances for him to celebrate with a dab on base as the season progresses.
