Serra grads Mickey McDonald, Collin Theroux land together with Oakland A’s Triple-A squad

The two have played together with a slew of different teams over the years. After Little League, they went on to play travel baseball for three years on a team coached by McDonald’s father Ray. While at Serra, McDonald and Theroux also played American Legion summer ball with San Mateo Post 82.

“Obviously we both love baseball and wanted to play as long as we can,” McDonald said. “But how it ended up in the same organization, it’s awesome. But that wasn’t a game plan or anything like that on our part.”

Insofar as this season’s run to Vegas is concerned, McDonald has most certainly hit the jackpot. While taxiing between Double-A and Triple-A this year, the 26-year-old McDonald is batting .303 over both levels, including a red-hot .348 mark (40 for 115) in Triple-A with the Aviators.

At 6-2, 175 pounds, McDonald has solidified himself as a speed-and-defense utility man. His left-handed bat plays well at the top of the batting order; while he has hit all over the lineup for Las Vegas since his initial promotion July 26, he has mostly found himself batting in the No. 1 or 2 spots as of late.

While McDonald’s beard has filled out nicely, Theroux said his longtime friend still looks like the same twiggy kid he remembers from back in the day when McDonald was a standout shortstop and stud Pop Warner football running back in San Mateo.

“The smile on his face, I feel like I’m watching 12-year-old Mickey out there,” Theroux said. “So, it’s been fun.”

McDonald has seen some runs of professional success, but nothing like the strong finish he is amassing in his third full season of minor league ball. Drafted in the 18th round out of University of Chicago-Illinois in 2017, he arrived in Low-A Beloit in 2018 and enjoyed a fulltime outfield role batting .284 with a .353 on-base percentage. In 2019, he struggled as he moved up the ladder, hitting .235 between High-A Stockton and Double-A Midland.

During the canceled minor league season of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, McDonald stayed busy while quarantining in San Mateo. He and Theroux hit regularly in Belmont, until each went their separate ways once the major league season opened near the end of July, with McDonald moving with his girlfriend back to Chicago, her hometown, and Theroux relocating with his girlfriend to live in her native Texas.

Through the lost season, McDonald was consistent in maintaining his straightforward hitting mechanics. While he credited the off year with helping to rejuvenate him physically, McDonald brought with him upon his return to spring camp in 2021 the same short, contact approach he has known for years.

“Honestly, I think it’s just an approach thing,” McDonald said of his recent hot streak. “Swing wise, I haven’t made too many crazy mechanical adjustments. I think it was just more figuring out what pitches I can handle and what zones I can handle. … It sounds very simple, but it took me a while to get that stuff figured out.”

Theroux has struggled at the plate this season. A career .157 hitter since being drafted in the 32nd round out of San Joaquin Delta College in 2016, the organizational catcher has long been regarded for his defense and surges of power. In his first three full minor league seasons from 2017-19, he hit a cumulative 37 home runs, reaching double digits in each year.

In this his second straight season moving from Double-A to Triple-A — he played in both Midland and Las Vegas in 2019 as well — he has totaled just four homers in 171 at-bats.

“I’ve always taken to the catching position and been lucky to be good enough at it, I guess, that they’ve let me stick around and try to figure out this hitting thing,” Theroux said, “and figure out whatever Mickey has figured out.”

Part of what McDonald has figured out has some roots in the softball diamond as well. While his father Ray and sister Kelly are fulltime coaches for the prestigious San Mateo travel softball club, the West Bay Warriors, McDonald also helps out part-time, coaching with the organization when he is home in the offseason.

“Obviously it’s a different sport,” McDonald said. “When you have to teach something, it’s a lot different … because what I feel or what I think might not be great for somebody else. … So, I think it just helps seeing other people’s approaches and try to figure it out with them and try to add tools to the tool belt.”

Those added tools — slap-hitting and small-ball so often rule on the softball diamond — certainly complement McDonald’s game.

“I think I’ve kind of accepted my role,” McDonald said. “Normally I’m a speed guy that gets on base and scores runs. As much as I’d like to be a guy that hits 40 home runs, I don’t think that’s in the cards, at least so far. So, I just try to use my tools and make the most of them, which I’ve been able to do this year so far.”