McDonald was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 18th round, with the 531st overall selection, of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[2] He played in 36 games during his first professional season, splitting time between the Arizona League Athletics and the Low-A Vermont Lake Monsters. In 2018, McDonald spent the year with the Single-A Beloit Snappers, slashing .284/.356/.353 with 2 home runs and 25 RBI in 110 games for the team. He appeared in 110 games again in 2019, splitting the season between the High-A Stockton Ports and the Double-A Midland RockHounds and hitting .235/.318/.289.[3] McDonald did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] McDonald spent the 2021 campaign split between Midland and the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, posting a .305/.402/.390 slash with 2 home runs and a career-high 38 RBI in 106 games between the two teams. He was assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin the 2022 season.
On April 20, 2022, McDonald was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that day at Oakland Coliseum, appearing as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles. McDonald appeared in four major league games, going 0-for-4 with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts before he was optioned back to Triple-A on April 29.[5] He was designated for assignment the next day following the waiver claim of Domingo Tapia.[6] McDonald cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Las Vegas on May 2.[7] He played in 83 total games split between Midland and Las Vegas in 2022, batting .279/.381/.368 with three home runs, 23 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. McDonald was released by the Athletics organization on April 21, 2023. [8]
