PITTSBURGH PIRATES TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. KE’BRYAN HAYES, 3B
AGE: 24. B-T: R-R. HT: 5-10. WT: 205. DRAFTED: HS—Tomball, Texas, 2015 (1st round). SIGNED BY: Tyler Stohr.
TRACK RECORD: The Pirates drafted Hayes with the 32nd overall pick in 2015. He’s the son of former major league third baseman Charlie Hayes, who played for the Pirates in 1996 and spent 14 years in the majors. (His brother Tyree also pitched professionally.) Hayes entered the 2020 season as the Pirates’ top position prospect but tested positive for Covid-19 during summer camp, which set his progress back. He returned in late July and made his major league debut in September, exploding onto the scene with numbers that were among the best of the rookie class. He hit .376/.422/.682 with seven doubles, two triples and five home runs in 95 plate appearances. His 1.124 OPS ranked fourth among qualified batters in September, when he won National League rookie of the month, providing hope for Pirates fans looking for a young prospect to emerge as a cornerstone of their rebuild.
Hayes’ calling card has long been his defense at third base. He has a chance to win multiple Gold Glove awards with smooth hands, quick reactions, good routes to the ball and plus arm strength. He’s an asset defensively for the Pirates whether they want a traditionally strong third baseman or if they want to get creative with defensive shifts. Hayes has the range to play shortstop in a pinch and is a great candidate to move around the field in different defensive alignments. Hayes’ offense has been improving the last few years
