Catching chose Kyle McCann — and he’s been answering ever since

June 4, 2026 - 22:18

Kyle McCann was never the kind of player who waited for opportunity to knock. He raised his hand. First, as a kid on a travel team in Georgia, then as a young pro trying to find his footing, and later in the unglamorous grind of the Mexican League with the Piratas de Campeche. Every time someone asked for a catcher, McCann volunteered.

That persistence paid off in Albuquerque, where he kept showing up and kept producing. His path was never a straight line. There were stretches in the minors where the numbers didn't pop, where the scouting reports were lukewarm, and where it would have been easy to settle into a backup role. But McCann kept raising his hand. He took extra reps, learned new pitchers on the fly, and made himself indispensable in a way that stats don't always capture.

When the organization needed a catcher who could handle a staff and also provide some pop at the plate, McCann was the one who answered. He didn't just fill a spot. He forced the decision. His work behind the plate earned trust, and his bat started to produce in ways that made the front office take notice.

The journey from a travel team in Georgia to the Piratas de Campeche to Albuquerque is not a typical one. It is a story of a player who never stopped believing he belonged, even when the road took strange turns. McCann's willingness to say "I can do that" has turned him into a reliable piece, and he shows no signs of putting his hand down.