I remember exactly where I was when I heard that the Pittsburgh Pirates were going to sign Ke’Bryan Hayes to a long-term deal. I was just getting settled in at my first duty station in Las Vegas, and driving back to the dormitory, I saw the news come across my phone that he had signed an eight-year $70-million extension. I was happy that the team was finally going to commit to a superstar like him, but there was also two narratives that were created following the news; can he stay healthy, and can he develop offensively?
While I don’t claim to have a crystal ball in front of me, it does seem that Hayes is starting to turn a corner offensively and may be close to making that next jump as a batter.