The Pittsburgh Pirates don't have a lot to be excited about for the future, but if there's one bright spot, his name is Ke'Bryan Hayes. The third baseman committed his long-term future to the organization on Thursday, signing an 8-year, $70 million deal. The club hasn't confirmed, but Ken Rosenthal reported it:
Deal will be eight years, $70M, per @ByRobertMurray. Largest in Pirates history, ahead of six-year, $60M contract that Jason Kendall signed . . . in 2000. https://t.co/KjEpNzeXn9
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 7, 2022
As noted, it's the biggest deal in Pirates history and shows just how confident Pittsburgh is in Hayes. The 2015 first-round pick came up during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and instantly shined, hitting .376 in 24 games at the Major League level. However, he suffered a wrist injury in 2021 and struggled to find his previous brilliance at the plate, slashing just .257 in 96 games.
Nonetheless, Hayes is a tremendous defender at the hot corner and arguably one of the most promising young talents in the sport. He possesses a mind-boggling .987 fielding percentage in 113 games, making just four errors. The Pirates are definitely excited about the youngster because he's truly a five-tool player who can do it all.
The 25-year-old dealt with a sprained ankle in Spring Training, but he's expected to be healthy for Opening Day as Pittsburgh takes on the St. Louis Cardinals. It will be very interesting to see what type of numbers he puts up throughout a complete 162-game campaign.
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