With a rebuild of the roster in the early stages, the Pirates are putting faith that Ke’Bryan Hayes can be a cornerstone for the franchise going forward.
MLB Pipeline believes that faith is well-placed, naming him as the game’s ninth best prospect in their reveal of the top 100 prospects Thursday night.
That is the highest rating the outlet has ever given a Pirates position player. The only Pirates prospects to appear higher on their top 100 list were Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow, who both came in at seventh overall in 2012 and 2015 respectively. Glasnow was also ranked 8th in 2016, while Jameson Taillon was ninth overall in 2011.
Also cracking the top 100 list are second baseman Nick Gonzales at No. 43, right-hander Quinn Priester at 52 and shortstop Oneil Cruz at 64.
Hayes' jump up the top 100 list comes after his torrid September, where he slashed .376/.442/.682 with five home runs and 11 RBIs. He was named the National League rookie of the month and finished sixth in Rookie of the year voting and is an early favorite to win the award this season. He was MLB Pipeline's 37th best prospect ahead of his debut.
Gonzales and Cruz both dropped a bit, from 32nd and 59th a year ago, respectively. Priester is new to the top 100.
Cruz is already on the 40-man roster and is on pace to make his Major League debut at some point this season, although there are serious doubts that he will stick at shortstop. Gonzales was drafted seventh overall in the 2020 amateur draft is on pace to reach the Majors in 2022. Priester was the Pirates first-round pick in 2019 and is on pace to debut in 2023.
Five Pirates prospects also ranked in the top 10 by position breakdown. Hayes and Gonzales ranked second overall at third and second base. Mason Martin ranked 10th at first base, Ji-Hwan Bae 8th at second base and Cruz 10th at shortstop. Gonzales also ranked 7th at shortstop, which was the position he was announced as playing during the draft. Their five players on top 10 lists was tied for the third most with the Marlins, trailing only the Rays or Tigers with six.
The same four Pirates were named on Baseball America’s top 100 list earlier this month. Hayes was No. 15, followed by Cruz at 50, Gonzales at 51 and Priester at 58.