Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes displays impressive baseball IQ

After only five games, Ke’Bryan Hayes has plenty to prove as a major leaguer.

But it is clear the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie third baseman paid attention while his dad was playing baseball.

Charlie Hayes played in the major leagues for 14 years, including the 1996 World Series with the New York Yankees and most of that season with the Pirates.

No one lasts that long at the highest level of a sport without knowing the nuances of the game, and Ke’Bryan Hayes apparently learned many of them from his dad.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton appreciates the pop Hayes has added to the lineup, with seven hits in 18 at-bats and at least one home run, single, double and triple.

But he pointed to something else after the Pirates’ 3-2 victory Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds. And it did not involve Hayes picking up a bat or catching or throwing a baseball.

“Specific play (Friday),” Shelton said. “We have the pop up where (shortstop Kevin) Newman and (second baseman Adam) Frazier both go out for it. If you watch the replay, Ke’Bryan’s standing on second base (in the event the ball drops).

“It’s a fundamental baseball play. He plays the game the right way, and that’s what stands out. That’s what makes him exciting.

“This is a kid that our fans are going to watch, and they’re going to watch for a ton of different reasons. But Pittsburgh baseball fans like baseball players, and this kid’s a baseball player.”

In those five games, there have been other such examples only a manager can appreciate.

Twice, he has shown an ability to think quickly while he was a baserunner at third base:

• In his first game last Tuesday, he broke instinctively on a slow grounder in front of home plate in the bottom of the 10th inning to score and keep the Pirates’ hopes alive.

• He stayed alive in a rundown Sunday in the ninth inning so the runners, including the eventual winning run, could move into scoring position.

“I think the thing that’s probably been the most important is just his awareness,” Shelton said. “We knew he could really play defense. He’s taken really aggressive swings, and I think we saw that carry over from (spring training) 1.0. But his awareness on the bases.

“The other night, the contact read, scoring. Hitting the triple, the way he’s cutting the bases (efficiently catching a corner to save steps). I think that’s really stood out.”

He also has done some tangible things, such as hitting a home run in his first game, playing both games of a doubleheader and going 3 for 5 with a triple, and fielding 15 chances without an error.

His only flaw: He has struck out almost one-third of the time (six times in 19 plate appearances).

When the season resumes Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox at PNC Park, it’s a good bet Hayes will be at third base or Shelton might have to answer for it.

When Hayes wasn’t in the starting lineup Saturday, a reporter brought it up.

“Normally, I don’t answer those questions of how we’re going to use guys, but I will tell you 100 percent if I need to use him, I’ll use him,” Shelton said. “It’s more just the overall volume for him. But, yeah, he is available off the bench.”

So far, the major league stage has not been overwhelming for Hayes.

“He likes the lights,” Shelton said. “He’s kind of like (Bryan) Reynolds. I don’t know if he has a heartbeat.

“He’s pretty calm. Every conversation you have with him, he’s steady. That’s probably attributed to how he grew up.”

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