Pirates, Ke'Bryan Hayes agree to eight-year, $70M extension

The Pirates locked up third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Pirates, 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes agree to eight-year, $70 million contract extension

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 4/7/22

Third-year Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes received a historic contract on Thursday, just hours before the team was slated to play on Opening Day against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hayes’ $70 million guarantee is the largest contract in Pirates history and the largest guarantee ever signed by a player with at least 1 and less than 2 years of service time. Hayes is represented by Scott Lonergan of The Ballengee Group.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) April 7, 2022

Hayes was one of the top prospects in baseball between the time he was selected 32nd overall by the Pirates in the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft and when he made his big-league debut in September 2020. He had a hot start to his MLB career, earning the NL Rookie of the Month Award following his debut, and ended the 2020 campaign with five home runs, 11 RBI, seven doubles and a .376/.442/.682 slash line over 85 at-bats in 24 games.

The 2021 season was a bit of a different story for the native of Tomball, Texas. Hayes missed much of the first half of the year with a wrist injury and then put up slightly underwhelming numbers upon his return. The 25-year-old son of former longtime infielder Charlie Hayes ended last year with six home runs, 38 RBI, 20 doubles, nine stolen bases and a .257/.316/.373 slash line across 362 at-bats covering 96 games.

Hayes is expected to be a team up with All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds in the middle of the Pittsburgh lineup this spring, though Reynolds has been rumored to be on the trade block.

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