Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 Previews: IF Ke'Bryan Hayes
After much anticipation, the Pittsburgh Pirates finally called up star infielder Ke'Bryan Hayes on September 1st, 2020. Hayes came to the Big Leagues with a lot of fanfare and some high expectations placed on the 23-year-old's shoulders. However, he met those expectations head-on and impressed over his first 24 games in the Big Leagues. He hit .376 with five home runs and 11 RBI spanning 85 Big League at-bats and was one of the most clutch hitters on the Pirates team. With the Pirates looking towards the future, Hayes is one of the guys in the here and now that fans can get excited about, as he leads the team and is looking to become the face of the franchise.
When he came up to the Big Leagues last season, there was no question about his defensive ability. He had already won two Gold Glove awards in the Minor Leagues and showed he can flash the leather. However, it was his offense that was a question, as he showed less than optimal power for a corner infielder and a career average of .279 over five Minor League seasons. He was going to have to prove he could swing the bat in the Big Leagues and do it consistently. He did that and much more, essentially hitting his way to an Opening Day Roster spot. Today, we look at Hayes's first full Big League season, and how he can go from top prospect, to face of the franchise.
Hayes Stunning Debut
When Ke'Bryan Hayes came to the Major Leagues on September 1st, 2020, he brought some excitement to a team that was otherwise not doing much. Many thought that he would make his debut during the 2019 season, but it wasn't meant to be, and fans were becoming impatient. So, when he did make his debut, there was a lot of pressure to perform to match the expectations set by fans. Right from the get-go that pressure seemed to have no effect on Hayes, as he swung the bat like he knew how. In his first big league game, Hayes went 2-5 with a double, home run, and two RBI but it wasn't enough as the Pirates fell to the Chicago Cubs in 11 innings 8-7. However, it sparked Hayes and got the fans on his side from the beginning.
Hayes's tear at the plate continued throughout his first full week in the Big Leagues, as he went 8-21 (.381) with a home run and three RBI through his first six Big League games. His only slight slump came following that stretch as his average slumped to .304, but it never went below that mark the rest of the season. He was still adjusting to the Big Leagues, striking out seven times during that seven-game stretch while hitting just .240. There were fears that Hayes was slipping and couldn't make the necessary adjustments, but he quickly put those fears to rest ending the season on one of his biggest tears of the year. He cut down on the strikeouts and remembered to just keep swinging.
That approach led to Hayes ending the season on an eight-game hitting streak that saw him jump his average to the .376 mark it hit at the end of the season. And, he wasn't just getting the one hit he needed and moving on. During the stretch, he had five multi-hit games, including a feat that has only been done a handful of times. It came against the Cleveland Indians in the second-to-last game of the year when Hayes went 5-5 with three doubles. He followed that up with a 2-4 performance to end his season with a home run and an RBI, capping off a series where he went 8-12 (.667) with a home run and two RBI. The strong ending helped pad the stats a little bit and get fans excited for the upcoming season.
Establishing Himself in 2021
Even though it was a strong start for Hayes in 2020, we can't fall into the trap of putting a player's entire stock into 85 Major League at-bats. There will certainly be adjustments made by the opposition, and with Hayes being the guy now, focus will be turned more towards him than the other players in the lineup. This will require Hayes to make adjustments as well, and make the most of the pitches he is seeing. Where Hayes really excelled last season was when runners were on base and in scoring position. He seemed to feed off the pressure of the situation and came through more often than not when his team needed him to.
When Hayes stepped up with runners in scoring position, he hit .364 with a double, a triple, and five of his 11 RBI. Not only did he hit well in these situations, but he was able to put the ball in play on a consistent basis. He struck out just three times in 12 at-bats, drew two walks, and put the ball in play seven other times, resulting in four hits. When his team needed him to find the gap most, he came through with half of his hits with runners in scoring position going for extra-bases. Now with Hayes being talked about as the face of the franchise, it is more important than ever for him to continue to perform at the Big Leaue level during his first full season.
Entering 2021, Hayes is one of the early favorites to win the MLB Rookie of the Year Award. He finished sixth in voting for the award last season, but he gets the benefit of still having rookie status in 2021. He is one of the few players with a guaranteed spot on the roster this season, and I would expect him to start out hitting in the upper third of the lineup. Hayes will probably fall in the two or three-hole in front of either Bryan Reynolds or Colin Moran. However, if he shows the ability to hit for power like he did last season, he could eventually find himself in the clean-up spot. The sky is the limit for young Ke'Bryan Hayes, and it is up to him to pave his path to stardom in the Big Leagues.
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