Pirates Chirstmas Wish List: A Rookie of the Year Award

One of the biggest parts of a rebuild is having all of your top prospects come up and perform at a high level. For the Pirates, Ke'Bryan Hayes's success at the Big League level will be a big part of the growth of the organization.

On September 1st, 2020, the Pittsburgh Pirates organizational future changed forever. Ke'Bryan Hayes made his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs, and molded himself into the starting third baseman of the future for the Pirates. He was one of the most exciting Pirates to watch last season, and even though he played in less than half the games during the season he was still in the running for the Rookie of the Year Award. He didn't win, but gets the added benefit of qualifying for the Award again giving him a rare second chance at the Rookie of the Year Award. His offense and defense both shined through during the season and he established himself as a starter in 2021.

If the Pirates have their way, Hayes will be in the running for the award again, meaning that he has established himself as a true Big League player. Hayes has shown all the tools already, hitting .376 with five home runs and 11 RBI in his 24 games played. He looked comfortable at the plate from day one and hopes to show that confidence again in 2021. The big question with Hayes is whether or not he can make adjustments as Big League pitchers start to figure him out. If he is able to do that, he is a shoo-in to be one of the next big stars of the game. If he is able to compete for the Rookie of the Year Award, that would be another item off the Pirates ever growing Christmas list.

The Future of the Bucs

From the moment he was drafted in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft you knew that Ke'Bryan Hayes was going to be a special player. He seemed to have success no matter where he went and the Pirates watched his career very closely. He never really showed raw power that you like to see from a third baseman, but he was able to keep his batting average consistently in the mid-200s throughout his career. 2019 was his best Minor League season in terms of all around production as he hit .261 with 10 home runs and 55 RBI at Triple-A Indianapolis. Aside from missing a short period of time due to injury, fans were expecting to see Hayes up in 2019. They would have to wait an entire calendar year later, but Hayes finally got the call to the Big Leagues on September 1st, 2020. 

The Pirates already knew about Hayes's Gold Glove caliber defense, it was the offense that they didn't know about at the Big League level. Hayes proved all his doubters wrong through the first 24 games of his Big League career, hitting .376 with five home runs and 11 RBI. Nearly half of his hits last season were extra-base hits, and he showed surprising pop with the five home runs in the month of September. If we had to pick a negative from his MLB debut, it would be that he struck out 21% of the time, and he didn't walk much with just nine free passes. However, all that was balanced out by his ability to get the bat on the ball and find holes on a consistent basis.

Defensively, he was nearly flawless at the hot corner with his one error coming on a difficult play. He also made some outstanding defensive plays throughout the year, including one where he ranged all the way to mid-left to make a catch in foul territory. Hayes definitely has the defensive skills to be the Pirates third baseman of the future, and if he can keep his offense going, he is going to be able to blossom into a star for the Pirates. He is very good in clutch situations, hitting .364 with five RBI with runners in scoring position last season, and could find himself in the upper third of the Pirates batting order in 2021.

Hayes Taking Things To The Next Level

After his showing last September, the Pittsburgh Pirates starting third baseman job is seemingly Hayes's to lose. With the Pirates going through a rebuild, they want to show off the next generation of young talent, and Hayes represents that next wave of talent. The big thing I want to see from Hayes is the ability to adjust when other pitchers start figuring him out. There will come a time during the 2021 season where Hayes will struggle and head into a slump. It is at these times that player's show their true potential. However, considering Hayes never had a batting average below .261 in the Minor Leagues, he has shown that he can make adjustments and still be consistent at the plate.

As far as what to expect from Hayes in 2021, don't bank on the gaudy numbers that his 2020 season projects too. If you role his September performance out through 162 games, he would have finished hitting .376 with 34 home runs and 74 RBI. Hayes has never shown 30+ home run power in the Minor Leagues and I don't expect him to show it in his first full season. However, if I did have to make a prediction for Hayes, I have him finishing as a .278 hitter with 15-20 home runs and somewhere around 75 RBI depending on how the guys around him do. Look for him to bat either in the two or three hole or in the five or six hole depending on how his power plays out.

2021 is a big year for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ke'Bryan Hayes could be the difference maker this season. The last rookie who came with this much excitement was Andrew McCutchen and he turned out to be a star. Hayes is looking to have the same effect on this team and be the guy who pulls them back into contention over the next couple of years. Hayes is a guy the Pirates can build around and, if Bryan Reynolds and Josh Bell can bounce back, they have the makings of a pretty strong offensive club. Ke'Bryan Hayes is here to stay at the Major League level, and a Rookie of the Year Award would make it that much sweeter.

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