Ke'Bryan Hayes

Hayes had some up and down moments in 2023. Hayes took forever to get things going hitting .221 with just 2 homers through the end of May before waking up to hit .337 with 3 homers in June alone. An early back injury in July shelved him until mid-August and he returned with aplomb hitting .299 with 10 homers the rest of the way. His 15 homers in 2023 were just three fewer than he hit from 2020-2022, but his 10 steals was half of what he did the previous season at a time when most guys saw their totals jump a bit. He made positive gains in elevating the ball more frequently while not sacrificing his ability to make contact as he lowered his strikeout rate for a fourth consecutive season. Hayes has the tools to be a 20-20 player in 2024 if he can continue his growth from the late summer and get back to running. Either way, he feels prime for the breakout season many have wanted from him each of the past two seasons.

Hayes' power dropped, but his patience improved slightly, and he hit the ball with a little more authority than the previous campaign. A low 28.8% fly ball rate plus a 6.3% HR/FB mark limited Hayes to just six long balls, but if he can loft a few more batted balls while maintaining a 47% hard-hit rate, there's double-digit power in his stick. Hayes' minor league track record indicates he can shave a few points off his 21.8% strikeout rate, boosting production. The key to Hayes' fantasy potential is running as he swiped 20 bags in 25 tries last season, which is in the territory expected to benefit from the new rules. Injuries may have slowed Hayes growth as he dealt with a wrist issue most of 2021, then played through knee, back and shoulder woes last season. The latent power may manifest, but it's best to consider it a bonus and pay for steals with a batting average high enough not to hurt.

Hayes provided the latest reminder not to get overly hyped about amazing rookie debuts, although not everything was his fault. He hit the majors with aplomb in 2020, and homered in his first at-bat of 2021, which set stretching exercises for a few Twitter victory laps. However, Hayes hurt his wrist in the next game, went on the injured list and did not return until June. His overall season was unsurprisingly disappointing given how critical strong wrists are to hitting. He did continue his running ways from the minors, which will ultimately help hold up his fantasy value. He has yet to homer more than 10 times in a professional season, so the wrist injury can only write off so much regarding the power numbers. He will hit high in a terrible Pittsburgh lineup.

With hitting prospects, there is a difference between "hasn't hit for impact power" and "won't hit for impact power." Thanks to a strong hit tool and the fact most of the full-season environments he played in were pitcher-friendly parks, Hayes always fit in the first group. He exceeded even the most optimistic expectations as a rookie. A .450 BABIP obviously propped up his stats to some degree, but his 9.2% barrel rate would have ranked 22nd among qualified hitters, ahead of Mike Trout, Luke Voit and Nelson Cruz, so his performance was more skill than luck. He was successful on his lone steal attempt in 24 games, but with a 79th percentile sprint speed and 25-for-31 success rate in 230 MiLB games from 2018-19, Hayes is a sneaky threat to steal double-digit bases this year. Gold Glove caliber defense at third base ensures everyday playing time, and he should reprise his role as the Pirates No. 2 hitter.

Hayes is a 70-grade defender at third base, has a career 16.8 K% and is an above-average runner who turned 23 this offseason after spending all of 2019 at Triple-A, so there are a lot of positives in his profile. His inability thus far to really impact the baseball is the elephant in the room. He uses the whole field, but his 46.4 GB% would have ranked in the bottom 25% among qualified big leaguers and his 25.5 Hard% is underwhelming for a corner infielder playing with the juiced ball at Triple-A. A modest swing change could unlock another level, and with a new front office in Pittsburgh, it is reasonable to anticipate some player-development improvements. His defense and plate skills will get him an everyday role even if he doesn't unlock more pop, and he could probably go 15/15 as is. If he gets off to a good start, we should see him in the first half.

There are subtleties in Hayes' profile that make him a valuable fantasy commodity, but that are lost on many, which may make him the most underrated player in the prospect universe. He had just eight career homers in 231 games prior to reaching Double-A, then quietly had a power breakout last year that was muted by the extreme pitcher-friendly conditions in Altoona. He finished fourth in the Eastern League with 31 doubles and notched his best full-season ISO (.151) and SLG (.444) figures. His patience (11.2 BB%), bat-to-ball ability (16.5 K%) and all-fields approach (38.8 Pull%, 32.2 Oppo%) portend a plus hit tool and he has the speed to steal 15-to-20 bases annually. He is also a gold-glove caliber defender at third base, so playing time won't be an issue. This is the type of player who blows past his power estimates on minor-league scouting reports and leaves analysts scratching their heads. Given the Pirates' track record, he may be kept down until 2020.

While he does a lot of things well, Hayes has yet to hit for the type of power we associate with quality third base prospects. He is an above-average runner and went 27-for-32 on stolen-base attempts last year. Hayes is also a high-caliber defensive third baseman, so there is no concern about his glove forcing a move. His 15.8 percent strikeout rate was the best mark in the Florida State League among hitters under 22, which not only demonstrates his contact skills, but suggests he has room to make adjustments that could unlock power without compromising his ability to hit for a high average. Additionally, he has a true all-fields approach (36.6 percent to the pull side, 38 percent to the opposite field), so the only thing lacking is that aforementioned power. At 21, he will be one of the youngest hitters at Double-A, so there is still time for him to become a well-rounded hitter, and he has the size (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) to unlock that power with more upper-level instruction.

Hayes got off to a hot start in 2016, hitting .343/.368/.457 in April for Low-A West Virginia. He batted only .236/.305/.374 in 205 plate appearances the rest of the way, but back and rib injuries may have contributed to his woes. The third baseman hasn't shown much power -- he's totaled six homers in two seasons (123 games). However, at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, he projects to grow into 20-plus homer power down the road to accompany what could be an above-average hit tool. Hayes, who turned 20 in January, remains several seasons away from potentially making an impact in the majors. He will likely spend most of 2017 at High-A Bradenton in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, where he will be tasked with showcasing a more patient approach while driving the ball to all fields.

The son of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes, Pittsburgh took the third baseman with the 32nd pick of the 2015 draft. He did well enough in the Gulf Coast League (.333/.434/.375) to earn a two-week promotion to the New York-Penn League. Though he failed to homer, the 19-year-old is expected to offer some power. He will begin 2016 back in the NYPL this summer or at Low-A West Virginia if the Bucs want to push him to a full-season affiliate for Opening Day. Fantasy owners will want to keep tabs on Hayes as he offers a strong batting average with potential for more, but he should be considered a long-term investment in dynasty formats.