Baltimore Orioles top ten prospects for 2020
By David Hill
4. Austin Hays
Majors: .309/.373/.574, six doubles, four homers, two steals
Minors (A-, A+, AA, AAA): .248/.299/.464, 23 doubles, 17 homers, nine steals
At this point, it is difficult to imagine that Austin Hays will spend much more time in the Baltimore Orioles minor leagues.
A former third round draft pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, hays actually made his major league debut back in 2017, rocketing through the Orioles system. He was not ready at the time, but it was expected that Hays would return the following year. Instead, he dealt with injuries and a far too pull happy approach, hindering his performance in the minors.
When he is healthy, there is no questioning Hays’ potential. He can hit with power to all fields, with an aggressive approach that is combined with excellent contact ability. Hays will never draw many walks, but his overall explosiveness and ability to make contact will mitigate those issues.
In a perfect world, Hays would slot into right field, where his strong arm would be an asset. However, with the eventual arrival of Yusniel Diaz, Hays is likely to get a look in either center or left. He did make 20 appearances in center for Baltimore once he was promoted last year, which may be his position come Opening Day.
Austin Hays had an impressive return to the majors last season. Chances are, his place in the Baltimore Orioles lineup is assured.