Like Father, Like Son? — Pirates Draft Ke’Bryan Hayes With Comp Pick

Ke’Bryan Hayes’ father, Charlie, had a long career. Will Ke’Bryan follow his path?
Photo from Houston Chronicle/Karen Warren

If Ke’Bryan Hayes starts 1238 games at 3B and has a .262/.316/.398 career line I think that would be a career he could be pretty happy with. While Charlie Hayes’ career numbers might be a good benchmark for his son, Ke’Bryan might exceed it.

Ke’Bryan Hayes looks like his dad and plays the game hard like Charlie did, but Ke’Bryan’s hit tool stands out. If you watch this video you can see how natural he looks in the box and how strong his hit tool is presently. I don’t think Hayes looks to have much more physical projection (currently 6′-1″/205 lb), but he seems to have enough strength for current day power. As he matures he should fill out and add a little more, but if he wants to stay at 3B he can’t get too big.

Hayes is the compensation pick the Pirates received from the Blue Jays signing Russell Martin after the Martin turned down the Pirates’ Qualifying Offer. One real curveball I read this morning is that ESPN draft insider Eric Longenhagen mentioned that some scouts think Hayes has a chance to stick at SS due to his fluid mechanics and strong arm. That could change this pick’s view a good deal.

I read some blogs that mentioned that Hayes might be signable for underslot since he’s not asking for a ton. This could be the same strategy as the Pirates used with their competitive balance pick they used last year on Connor Joe. It’s pretty clear from his tweet last night that he’s excited to be drafted and sure seems ready to forgo his Tennessee commitment and start playing ball now.

Like most of the Pirates picks the last few years, Hayes seems like an excellent character player and should continue to build that team atmosphere that is now attracting players to the Pirates.

Michael Bradley

Michael is a Pirates contributor to The Point of Pittsburgh. Michael is former submarine officer and Naval Academy grad. He now runs a small consulting firm and does veteran related job fairs. He is a SABR member and regularly attends Altoona Curve games to scout the Pirate prospects.