Bucs use No. 32 pick on third baseman Hayes
Prep slugger's father, Charlie, played for Pirates in 1996
PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates used their second pick Monday night to draft an infielder with big league lineage and a Pittsburgh connection.
With the 32nd overall selection, their compensation for losing catcher Russell Martin in free agency, the Pirates selected third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, 18, out of Concordia Lutheran (Texas) High School.
Hayes is the son of Charlie Hayes, a third baseman who spent 14 years in the Majors and played for the Pirates in 1996.
With Hayes, it was clear to the Pirates that his heritage has impacted his ability on the field.
"I think we look at the individual. In Ke'Bryan's case, he does exhibit a very good feel for the game," scouting director Joe DelliCarri said. "The way he operates within the game, how he sees the game. So I would say in his case, Ke'Bryan did show consistently that feel, instincts for the game.
"Just because they would have bloodlines, I'm not necessarily sure it's there all the time. But clearly in this case with Ke'Bryan, it's showing on both sides of the ball. His feel and understanding and play within the game, his control of the game, his ability to slow things down on both sides of the ball were strong."
The Draft continues on Tuesday with Rounds 3-10. The MLB.com preview show begins at 12:30 p.m. ET, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-10 beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
The 32nd pick's value was slotted at $1,855,000. Hayes was ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the Draft's No. 44 overall prospect.
The selection of Hayes after University of Arizona shortstop Kevin Newman, the 19th overall pick, continues an obvious trend for the Pirates, who have now selected position players with their first two picks in each of the last three years.
The 6-foot-1, 207-pound Hayes is regarded as an advanced high school hitter, as he closely resembles his father, who was a fourth-round pick by the Giants in 1983.
Hayes hit .436 (41-for-94) with 16 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 27 RBIs and 12 stolen bases during his senior season.
"As a corner bat, we like his upside and we like his overall package as well," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.
Hayes has committed to the University of Tennessee, but he's considered one of the more signable high school prospects in this year's Draft class.
And Hayes seems prepared to follow in his father's footsteps, as he expressed his gratitude towards Pirates for making his "dreams come true" in a message from his Twitter account Monday night.