Ke'Bryan Hayes

Ke'Bryan Hayes
Hayes with Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 13
Third baseman
Born: (1997-01-28) January 28, 1997 (age 27)
Tomball, Texas, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 1, 2020, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
(through July 31, 2024)
Batting average.260
Home runs36
Runs batted in174
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Ke'Bryan Kobe Hayes (/ˈkiːbraɪæn/ KEE-bry-an;[1] born January 28, 1997) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2020.

Amateur career

Hayes attended Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, Texas. He committed to play college baseball at the University of Tennessee.[2] In 2015, as a high school senior, Hayes hit .436 with three home runs, 27 runs batted in (RBI), and 12 stolen bases.[3]

Professional career

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Hayes in the first round, with the 32nd overall selection, of the 2015 MLB draft.[4][5] Foregoing his college commitment, Hayes signed with Pittsburgh, and spent 2015 with both the Gulf Coast League Pirates and the West Virginia Black Bears, batting a combined .308, with 20 RBI, in 56 games.[6]

In 2016, Hayes spent the season with the West Virginia Power, where he earned South Atlantic League All-Star honors[7] and compiled a .263 average, with six home runs, and 37 RBI, in 65 games. In 2017, Hayes moved up with the Bradenton Marauders, where he batted .278, with two home runs, and 43 RBI, in 108 games[8] and was named a Florida State League All-Star.[9]

Hayes played for the Altoona Curve in 2018, and was named an Eastern League All-Star[10] and slashing .293/.375/.444 with seven home runs and 47 RBIs in 117 games.[11][12] In 2019, Hayes split the season between the West Virginia Black Bears and the Indianapolis Indians, hitting .261/.334/.411/.745, with 10 home runs, and 55 RBI.[13][14][15] Following the season, he was added to the Pirates 40-man roster.[16]

On July 19, 2020, it was announced that Hayes had tested positive for COVID-19. On September 1, 2020, the Pirates promoted him to the majors.[17] Making his MLB debut the same day, he hit his first career home run against the Chicago Cubs.[18] Hayes received five votes in 2020 National League Rookie of the Year voting, finishing in sixth place.[19]

In his 2021 season debut against the Cubs, Hayes hit a home run in his first at bat of the season. On April 4, 2021, Hayes was placed on the 10-day injured list due to left wrist inflammation after leaving a game the previous day because of the injury.[20] On May 9, Hayes was placed on the 60-day injured list.[21] He was activated on June 3.[22] On June 11, Hayes became the quickest Pirate to 20 career extra-base hits in the modern era, one game faster than Barry Bonds.

Hayes finished the 2021 season batting .257/.316/.373 with 6 home runs, 38 RBIs and 9 stolen bases in 96 games. He was awarded the Fielding Bible Award for excellent defense as a third baseman.[23]

On April 7, 2022, Hayes agreed to an eight-year, $70 million contract extension with the Pirates, which became official on April 12.[24]

On November 5, 2023, Hayes won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for NL third basemen, dethroning Nolan Arenado (who had a 10 year streak).

Personal life

Hayes is the son of Charlie Hayes,[25] and younger brother of former minor league pitcher Tyree Hayes.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ke'Bryan Hayes (profile) – MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  2. ^ "Ke'Bryan Hayes Perfect Game". perfectgame.org. Perfect Game. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  3. ^ "Pirates sign 2015 supplemental first round Draft pick Ke'Bryan Hayes". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. June 16, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  4. ^ "Pirates sign draft pick Ke'Bryan Hayes". post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  5. ^ "Concordia Lutheran's Ke'Bryan Hayes goes to Pirates with 32nd overall pick". chron.com. Houston Chronicle. June 9, 2015.
  6. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates infield prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes powers West Virginia in marathon win". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  7. ^ Redd, Derek (June 8, 2016). "Power places 3 players, trainer on SAL All-Star team". Charleston Gazette-Mail.
  8. ^ "Ke'Bryan Hayes Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  9. ^ Morning Report: A Look at the Bradenton Marauders at the All-Star Break | Pirates Prospects
  10. ^ "Ke'Bryan Hayes and Will Craig Named to Eastern League All-Star Team". chatsports.com. August 23, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  11. ^ "Ke'Bryan Hayes' Power Comes into Focus For Pittsburgh Pirates". baseballamerica.com. Baseball America. February 5, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Gorman, Kevin (February 25, 2019). "Third-base prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes living out childhood dreams at Pirates camp". triblive.com. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  13. ^ Terranova, Rob (April 11, 2019). "Hayes breaks out at plate for Indianapolis". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  14. ^ Brink, Bill (March 18, 2019). "Pirates send Ke'Bryan Hayes to minor league camp". post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  15. ^ Dopirak, Dustin (May 29, 2019). "Ke'Bryan Hayes wants to not just get to Pittsburgh, but stay..." theathletic.com. The Athletic. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  16. ^ Berry, Adam (November 20, 2019). "Bucs add top prospects Hayes, Cruz to 40-man". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  17. ^ Adam Berry (September 1, 2020). "Bucs call up prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes". MLB.com. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  18. ^ Adam Berry (September 1, 2020). "Hayes a huge boost for Pirates in debut". MLB.com. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  19. ^ "2020 Awards Voting". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  20. ^ "Pirates Designate Tyler Bashlor For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. April 4, 2021.
  21. ^ "Pirates Place Colin Moran on Injured List, Select Troy Stokes Jr". May 9, 2021.
  22. ^ "Pirates Activate Ke'Bryan Hayes, Option Wil Crowe". June 3, 2021.
  23. ^ Bechtold, Austin (October 28, 2021). "Jacob Stallings, Ke'Bryan Hayes recipients of 2021 Fielding Bible Awards". Bucs Dugout. SB Nation. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  24. ^ "Ke'Bryan Hayes inks 8-year extension with Pirates". mlb.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  25. ^ Roepken, Corey (March 30, 2015). "Concordia Lutheran's Hayes benefits from ex-big leaguer father's advice". houstonchronicle.com. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  26. ^ Wilson, David (June 5, 2017). "Big-league lessons from father shape Ke'Bryan Hayes into top prospect with Marauders". bradenton.com. The Bradenton Herald. Retrieved February 23, 2020.