Ke’Bryan Hayes

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #1 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 60. Power: 50. Running: 55. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60.
  
  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.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: 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 and his power took a big leap in 2020. Hayes made adjustments to his swing mechanics by opening up his stance and changing his hand position. His biggest change was mental. He prioritized hard contact, as opposed to just making contact, and worked with his father during quarantine to get the ball in the air more often. The result was the most power than Hayes has had in his career without sacrificing his average or plate discipline. Hayes’ video-game September numbers will come down, but he is capable of hitting .300 with 15-20 homers a year with a high on-base percentage. Hayes is an above-average runner who adds value on the bases in addition to his bat and glove.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hayes has the potential to be an offensive cornerstone the Pirates build their lineup around. He won’t hit .450 on balls in play, as he did in a small 2020 sample, as pitchers adjust to him, but if he gets anywhere close he will be a perennial all-star third baseman. Hayes will be the Pirates’ Opening Day third baseman in 2021 and figures to keep that status as long as he remains in Pittsburgh.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #2 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Ke'Bryan's father Charlie Hayes spent 14 years in the majors at third base, including one with the Pirates. Ke'Bryan has been one of the best defenders at the position in the minors since the Pirates drafted him 32nd overall in 2015. His offense has caught up in recent years, capped by a .265 average and a career-high 10 home runs at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Hayes' plus-plus defense is his obvious carrying tool. He has multi-Gold Glove potential at third base thanks to smooth hands, quick reaction times, good routes to the ball and a plus arm. He is athletic enough to play shortstop in a pinch as well. Hayes shows plus hitting ability with a smooth, quick swing, natural lift and a patient approach. He has improved his power the last two years after recovering from a cracked rib at the end of 2016, which led to significant weight loss in 2017. Hayes regained the weight and muscle and added more in the process. He lost some speed, but he's still an above-average runner who is smart on the bases and capable of stealing double-digit bags each year.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hayes has the foundation of an everyday third baseman with his hitting ability, defense and baserunning tools. His ceiling will depend on how much his power improves.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Hayes, the son of 14-year big league third baseman Charlie Hayes, has been arguably the most consistent position player in the Pirates' system the last two seasons. After missing most of 2016 with a cracked rib, he was an all-star at high Class A Bradenton in 2017 and at Double-A Altoona in 2018.
  
  Scouting Report: Hayes has excellent hands and a slow heartbeat at third base, which makes him one of the best gloves in the minors. He isn't fazed by big swings or scorched grounders, and he has an excellent feel for how to read angles off the bat. He has a plus arm and makes steady, accurate throws with plenty of backspin carry across the diamond. Hayes has a short, compact swing with excellent plate discipline. Even through his home run figures are still modest--the seven he hit in 2018 were a career high--he's getting more carry into the gaps. He finished with 45 extra-base hits in 2018, with 31 doubles nearly doubling his previous career high. He isn't a blazer, but he did steal 27 bases in 2017 and 12 in 2018. The Pirates want him to add weight and strength, which could slow him down a tick.
  
  The Future: Hayes will head to Triple-A Indianapolis and isn't far from being Pittsburgh's third baseman.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #4 prospect in 2018
  The Pirates took Hayes, whose father Charlie played 14 years in the big leagues, with the No. 32 pick in 2015, convincing him to turn down a commitment to Tennessee. After a strong performance in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2015, he played in just 65 games in 2016 thanks to a cracked rib. However, he still started 2017 in high Class A Bradenton and had his most complete season to date. Hayes showed better feel for the strike zone, a compact swing and the ability to drive the ball to all fields in 2017. He hasn't shown a lot of home run power, but he could develop power similar to that of his father, who hit 144 home runs. Hayes continued to drop baby fat and add muscle in 2017. He's transformed from a poor baserunner into an above-average one. The conditioning also aided his range at third base. He has sure hands and a quick first step. He should be a defensive asset as a plus defender with a a plus arm. Hayes will likely begin 2018 at Double-A Altoona despite being just 21 on Opening Day. While his statistics have been modest, scouts see him as a future above-average regular thanks to his hitting ability, work ethic and understanding of the game.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #6 prospect in 2017
  Hayes' father Charlie played third base in the major leagues for 14 seasons from 1988-2001. That included a stint with the 1996 Pirates before they traded him to the Yankees, who he helped win a World Series that fall. The Pirates chose Hayes 32nd overall in 2015, three slots higher than his father was selected by the Giants in 1983. Hayes has the potential to be an above-average hitter for both average and power, but scouts have to project a bit to get to that point. He uses an all-fields approach to spray drives from foul line to foul line and at times reads pitches well for a young hitter. He did not do that consistently enough to dominate at low Class A West Virginia in 2016, his first taste of full-season ball. Hayes began to show his power potential before a back injury caused him to miss the entire second half. His next step in that direction is learning how to drive breaking balls and changeups. Hayes has a strong arm and some teams wanted to draft him as a pitcher. He also has good instincts and hands at third base but is a below-average runner. Hayes will return to West Virginia to start 2017 to make up for time lost time. A strong showing will cue him up for a quick promotion to high Class A Bradenton.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #9 prospect in 2016
  Hayes is the son of former big league third baseman Charlie Hayes, a 14-year veteran who spent 1996 with the Pirates. A Tennessee recruit, Ke'Bryan boosted his draft stock by dropping 20 pounds before his senior year of high school with a daily regimen of mountain-bike riding and swimming. The Pirates made him a first-round pick in 2015 and signed him for $1,855,000. Hayes also pitched in high school, but big league teams liked his bat better. Hayes shows outstanding power potential in batting practice but doesn't carry it over to games, where he concentrates more on making contact rather than turning the bat loose. He did not hit a home run during his pro debut, but his power figures to develop as he gains experience and becomes more aggressive. Hayes has a good eye for a young hitter and doesn't chase many pitches outside the strike zone. He is a solid defensive third baseman with good agility and a plus arm. However, he will need to stay in shape to stay at third base or else face a move to first. Hayes is advanced enough to move to a full-season league in 2016, when he figures to begin at low Class A West Virginia and be one of the youngest players in the South Atlantic League at 19.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #57 prospect in 2015 draft
  In the summer after his sophomore season, Hayes looked like he was headed in the wrong direction. He was too big to stick at third base and he didn't have the top-of-the-charts power teams look for from a righthanded-hitting prep first baseman. To his credit, Hayes put in a lot of work, dropped 20 pounds thanks in part to a whole lot of swimming and made himself into a third base prospect. Hayes' father Charlie had a 14-year big league career as a third baseman. Ke'Bryan has a similar skillset as a third baseman with more hitting ability than power. He shows average raw power in batting practice, then gears his swing for line drives in games. Hayes makes some spectacular plays at third base, especially coming in on the ball, and he has excellent hands. But he will have to be very careful to stay on top of his body as he's already range limited; a move to first base would significantly increase the demands on his bat. Hayes has also improved his arm significantly over the past year to where it's above-average at times. He's a below-average runner but it's no longer a significant impediment now that he's lost some weight. Hayes' feel for the game and excellent work ethic makes him one of the safer high school position players in this class and the Tennessee recruit is considered signable.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #8 prospect in 2019
  Hayes has long been known as one of the more outstanding glovemen in the minor leagues, and observers have been patient with his bat as a result. "His ability to play defense makes him as a sure-handed third baseman as I’ve seen in some time,” Indianapolis manager Brian Esposito said. "He separates his offense and defense real well.” His power hasn’t manifested itself in bushels of homers, but 2019 represented his second straight season with 30 or more doubles and his 10 long balls were a career best.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #4 prospect in 2018
  Hayes has a much different build than his father, Charlie Hayes, who had a 14-year big league career. The younger Hayes entered the year with questions whether he would hit for the power required to profile at third base. But strength gains this year helped him begin to answer that question. He hit 31 doubles, fourth in the EL, to go with seven home runs. That was especially encouraging considering he played half his games in pitcher-friendly Altoona. His slugging percentage jumped more than 100 points on the road, from .383 to .507. Opposing managers also noticed a better ability to turn on pitches as the season went on, noting they had shaded him the opposite way early then shifted to the pull side later in the year. Hayes faces zero questions about his ability to stick at third base. Evaluators around the league complimented his work by saying he was essentially a shortstop at third base with the plus arm needed to play the position.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #5 prospect in 2017
  The third son of a big leaguer to rank among the top five FSL prospects, Hayes requires the most projection, but scouts are more convicted in Hayes than most of the rest of the league. In a league full of exciting third basemen, including four of the top seven prospects, the son of Charlie Hayes was the best defender in the FSL. He made just eight errors thanks to his ability, soft hands and plus arm, with one scout calling his defense a plus present major league tool. Offensively, Hayes has advanced skills for a 20-year-old, staying inside the ball, stealing bases aggressively and efficiently with plus speed and even leading the FSL in sacrifice bunts. He has strong contact skills but has yet to learn to turn on the ball and hit for loft power. He must add strength to his 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #14 prospect in 2016
  Of the first-round high school hitters from the 2015 draft to play in the SAL, Hayes combined the best of both worlds by showing an advanced hitting approach to go with big power. Contrast that with Lakewood left fielder Cornelius Randolph, taken 10th overall by the Phillies, who liked to line the ball over the shortstop's head or Greensboro first baseman Josh Naylor, taken 12th by the Marlins, who tried to hit it through the wall beyond the right fielder. Hayes missed the second half of the season with a back injury, but before he started trying to play through the injury he showed an advanced up-the-middle approach and the ability to pound good fastballs. He puts together competitive at-bats and recognizes spin, but he hasn't yet shown he can pounce on hanging breaking balls. Defensively, Hayes has a good internal clock and an advanced feel for playing third base. He reads hops well, sets his feet and uses his plus arm when needed.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #9 prospect in 2015
  Charlie Hayes had a 14-year career as a third baseman in the majors. The Pirates drafted his son Ke'Bryan with the 32nd overall pick in June and signed him for $1,855,000. Hayes immediately made a strong impression by standing out for both for his bat--he led the GCL with a .434 on-base percentage and ranked second in hitting at .333--and his glove. Big league bloodlines are evident in Hayes' polish. He has a patient hitting approach, staying within the strike zone and using his bat control to square up the ball at a high rate when he does swing. Though he shows average raw power in batting practice, he gears his swing more for line drives during the game, which explains his limited extra-base production. He uses the middle of the field well, and some scouts think that when he learns to turn on certain pitches, he has a chance to hit 20 home runs. After his sophomore year of high school, Hayes looked like he would be too big to stay at third base, but he dropped 20 pounds and now earns positive reviews for his defense. He's a below-average runner and will always have to keep his body in check, but he has smooth hands, an above-average arm and made some excellent plays in the GCL.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #15 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #56 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #49 prospect in 2019

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 50. Running: 55. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60.
  
  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.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: 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 and his power took a big leap in 2020. Hayes made adjustments to his swing mechanics by opening up his stance and changing his hand position. His biggest change was mental. He prioritized hard contact, as opposed to just making contact, and worked with his father during quarantine to get the ball in the air more often. The result was the most power than Hayes has had in his career without sacrificing his average or plate discipline. Hayes’ video-game September numbers will come down, but he is capable of hitting .300 with 15-20 homers a year with a high on-base percentage. Hayes is an above-average runner who adds value on the bases in addition to his bat and glove.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hayes has the potential to be an offensive cornerstone the Pirates build their lineup around. He won’t hit .450 on balls in play, as he did in a small 2020 sample, as pitchers adjust to him, but if he gets anywhere close he will be a perennial all-star third baseman. Hayes will be the Pirates’ Opening Day third baseman in 2021 and figures to keep that status as long as he remains in Pittsburgh.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 50. Running: 55. Fielding: 70. Arm: 60.
  
  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.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: 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 and his power took a big leap in 2020. Hayes made adjustments to his swing mechanics by opening up his stance and changing his hand position. His biggest change was mental. He prioritized hard contact, as opposed to just making contact, and worked with his father during quarantine to get the ball in the air more often. The result was the most power than Hayes has had in his career without sacrificing his average or plate discipline. Hayes’ video-game September numbers will come down, but he is capable of hitting .300 with 15-20 homers a year with a high on-base percentage. Hayes is an above-average runner who adds value on the bases in addition to his bat and glove.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hayes has the potential to be an offensive cornerstone the Pirates build their lineup around. He won’t hit .450 on balls in play, as he did in a small 2020 sample, as pitchers adjust to him, but if he gets anywhere close he will be a perennial all-star third baseman. Hayes will be the Pirates’ Opening Day third baseman in 2021 and figures to keep that status as long as he remains in Pittsburgh.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Ke’Bryan’s father Charlie Hayes spent 14 years in the majors at third base, including one with the Pirates. Ke’Bryan has been one of the best defenders at the position in the minors since the Pirates drafted him 32nd overall in 2015. His offense has caught up in recent years, capped by a .265 average and a career-high 10 home runs at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Hayes’ plus-plus defense is his obvious carrying tool. He has multi-Gold Glove potential at third base thanks to smooth hands, quick reaction times, good routes to the ball and a plus arm. He is athletic enough to play shortstop in a pinch as well. Hayes shows plus hitting ability with a smooth, quick swing, natural lift and a patient approach. He has improved his power the last two years after recovering from a cracked rib at the end of 2016, which led to significant weight loss in 2017. Hayes regained the weight and muscle and added more in the process. He lost some speed, but he’s still an above-average runner who is smart on the bases and capable of stealing double-digit bags each year.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hayes has the foundation of an everyday third baseman with his hitting ability, defense and baserunning tools. His ceiling will depend on how much his power improves.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Ke'Bryan's father Charlie Hayes spent 14 years in the majors at third base, including one with the Pirates. Ke'Bryan has been one of the best defenders at the position in the minors since the Pirates drafted him 32nd overall in 2015. His offense has caught up in recent years, capped by a .265 average and a career-high 10 home runs at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Hayes' plus-plus defense is his obvious carrying tool. He has multi-Gold Glove potential at third base thanks to smooth hands, quick reaction times, good routes to the ball and a plus arm. He is athletic enough to play shortstop in a pinch as well. Hayes shows plus hitting ability with a smooth, quick swing, natural lift and a patient approach. He has improved his power the last two years after recovering from a cracked rib at the end of 2016, which led to significant weight loss in 2017. Hayes regained the weight and muscle and added more in the process. He lost some speed, but he's still an above-average runner who is smart on the bases and capable of stealing double-digit bags each year.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hayes has the foundation of an everyday third baseman with his hitting ability, defense and baserunning tools. His ceiling will depend on how much his power improves.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Hayes has long been known as one of the more outstanding glovemen in the minor leagues, and observers have been patient with his bat as a result. "His ability to play defense makes him as a sure-handed third baseman as I’ve seen in some time,” Indianapolis manager Brian Esposito said. "He separates his offense and defense real well.” His power hasn’t manifested itself in bushels of homers, but 2019 represented his second straight season with 30 or more doubles and his 10 long balls were a career best.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  The son of former major-league third baseman Charlie Hayes has arguably made the most consistent, steady progress of the Pirates’ infield prospects on their upper-classification teams. Hayes won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award last season as the best defensive third baseman in all of minor league baseball and hasn’t taken any steps back, committing just three errors in his first 66 games. Offensively, the Pirates are seeing an increase in exit velocity, and Hayes is hitting the ball in the air more even though he isn’t really focused on launch angle and home runs.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Hayes' father Charlie played third base in the major leagues for 14 seasons from 1988-2001. That included a stint with the 1996 Pirates before they traded him to the Yankees, who he helped win a World Series that fall. The Pirates chose Hayes 32nd overall in 2015, three slots higher than his father was selected by the Giants in 1983. Scouting Report: Hayes has the potential to be an above-average hitter for both average and power, but scouts have to project a bit to get to that point. He uses an all-fields approach to spray drives from foul line to foul line and at times reads pitches well for a young hitter. He did not do that consistently enough to dominate at low Class A West Virginia in 2016, his first taste of full-season ball. Hayes began to show his power potential before a back injury caused him to miss the entire second half. His next step in that direction is learning how to drive breaking balls and changeups. Hayes has a strong arm and some teams wanted to draft him as a pitcher. He also has good instincts and hands at third base but is a below-average runner.
  
  The Future: Hayes will return to West Virginia to start 2017 to make up for time lost time. A strong showing will cue him up for a quick promotion to high Class A Bradenton.