Hayes Turning Into Consistent Big League Hitter
One of the keys to not only getting to the Major Leagues but staying for a long time is the ability to hit the ball on a consistent basis. For Pirates #3 overall prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes, he was molding himself into an everyday player that could produce consistently for the Pirates. Entering play on Saturday night, Hayes was hitting .329 and having the bat streak of his young career. He had picked up a hit in each of his last seven games, including three multi-hit games. However, last night was the perfect cap to his rookie season and proved that he deserves a place in the Pirates lineup in 2021.
Hayes finished Saturday's game 5-5 with three doubles and three runs scored in the team's 8-0 win over Cleveland. It was the first time this season that a Pirates player has picked up more than three hits in a game. Hayes also just missed the record books, falling one double shy of the Major League record for doubles in a game (4). The performance helped raise Hayes's batting average to .370, which ranks fourth among National League rookies and 11th in all of Major League Baseball. Hayes seems to be the answer at third base long-term as he is coming into his own as a Big League hitter as the 2020 season comes to a close.
Saturday's Big Night
Saturday night was a night that some Major Leaguers will never have in their entire careers. Hayes is the youngest player to go 5-5 in a game since Andrew Benintendi accomplished the feat with the Boston Red Sox in 2017 at 23 years of age. The latest player younger than Hayes to accomplish the feat was Mike Moustakas for the Royals during the 2011 season. Hayes was hitting in the number two spot in the batting order and got his night started with a bang in the first inning. After Adam Frazier flew out to start the game, Hayes worked a 2-2 count and took a sinker down the right-field line for his first double of the day. He would come around to score one batter later on a Colin Moran single and the Pirates gave Joe Musgrove a 1-0 lead before he left the dugout.
In the third inning, Hayes led things off taking the first pitch he saw and lining his second double of the day. It sparked what would turn into a three-run inning and the Pirates saw their lead increase from 2-0 to 5-0 by the end of the third inning. Hayes would single in his next at-bat in the fourth inning but wasn't stranded on the bases long as Moran hit a three-run home run, his 10th of the season, and the Pirates made it an 8-0 game. After adding another single in the seventh inning, Hayes came to the plate to lead off the ninth looking to continue his strong day. He was already 4-4 and was looking to stay perfect. He wasted no time lining the first pitch he saw for his third double of the day, seventh of the season, capping off his 5-5 night.
Hayes is the first Pirate to have at least five hits in a game whole not recording an out since Freddy Sanchez went 6-6 against the Chicago Cubs on May 25th, 2009. He is the first Pirates rookie to accomplish the feat, showing that he is a special kind of player. Ever since he got his call to the Major Leagues at the beginning of September, he has been a big part of this young Pirates offense. He leads all Pirates hitters with a .370 batting average in 81 at-bats while hitting four home runs and 10 RBI. He is showing some power, but his extra-base hit ability is what is standing out and making him a guy to watch on this Pirates team for years to come.
Hayes's Future in the Pirates Lineup
When Hayes first came to the Big Leagues, there were some questions as to whether or not he was ready for the Big Leagues. He had just finished his first full season at Triple-A and put up pedestrian numbers hitting .265 with 10 home runs and 65 RBI. He dealt with an injury that forced him to miss half a month at the end of June, but he bounced back nicely. When he first made his debut, Manager Derek Shelton batted him seventh in the order to help get his feet wet. He took the opportunity and ran with it going 2-5 with a home run and three RBI, but the Pirates would fall to the Cubs 8-7. He would spend a couple more days in the seventh hole, before finding his home as the number two-hitter.
He has played 11 of his 23 Major League games hitting in the two-hole and has seemingly found a home. He is hitting .436 (17-39) as the team's two-hole hitter with two home runs and five RBI in those 11 games. He has a good batting average in most innings, but he seems to get better as the game goes on. In the first six innings of the game, Hayes is a .361 hitter with three home runs and five RBI. However, after the sixth inning Hayes's average jumps to .400 (8-20) with a home run and five RBI. Hayes seems to come through in clutch situations and looks to turn into a star for the Pirates.
Moving forward, I like Hayes sitting in the number two spot of the batting order for the Pirates. He isn't a guy who is necessarily a big bopper, but he has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Where Hayes really excels is the extra-base hit department, and that is key for a number two-hitter. After the leadoff man sets up the inning, the number two guy's job is to get him into scoring position for the middle of the lineup. Hayes currently has 13 extra-base hits in 23 games played and showed last night that he can get into scoring position. If Hayes can continue to collect a high volume of extra-base hits, he could be a staple in the two and three-hole for the Pirates for years to come.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (19-40) play their final game of the 2020 season when they face the Cleveland Indians (34-25) today at 3:10 pm. JT Brubaker (1-3, 4.46) looks to finish his rookie season strong when he takes on Cal Quantrill (2-0, 2.17) for the Indians. You can watch the game live on AT&T Sportsnet and listen on 93.7 The Fan as the Pirates look to take some momentum into the off-season as they prepare for 2021.
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