Okey was sitting in the Bats’ clubhouse on Thursday when manager Pat Kelly told him he was finally going to the big leagues. On Friday, Okey made his MLB debut after entering the game in the eighth inning, and he was in the Reds starting lineup on Saturday.
“It’s definitely a tough grind,” Okey said. “It’s tougher for others and easier for others. Some guys do their thing and get right up there. For some guys, it takes a little more time. The end goal is always the same. It’s definitely an honor to be here.”
Okey was in the same draft class as Nick Senzel, Taylor Trammell, Ryan Hendrix and Joel Kuhnel. In 2019, Okey hit .209 in the minors. After the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic, Okey hit .237 with 13 total extra-base hits as the Bats’ backup behind Beau Taylor.
Send an email
