The Pirates lost the Phillies on Monday, having them start off Spring Training with back to back 9-7 losses.
Home runs are what initially sunk the Pirates today, but there was one that should get Bucs fans excited for the upcoming season.
Ke'Bryan Hayes absolutely crushed a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to close out his day.
Hayes has been one of the biggest concerns over the past two seasons was the offensive output of the young third baseman.
The first-round pick burst on the scene in 2020, but failed to impress much past that, posting mediocre numbers offensively despite being a strong defender.
Hayes showed up to camp looking bigger too, he added 10-15 pounds in the offseason saying he's trying to get back to the 210 lb range he was in the minors.
Still only 26, Hayes' development has been slightly derailed, dealing with a lingering back injury for most of last season. He
"I want to be an all-around player," he said. Coming into spring he's trying to up his game offensively and on the base paths.
Hayes has certainly been one of the most overlooked players in the league. He'll be here for a long time after signing an eight-year contract last year and if he does end up putting it all together this season he won't be just a top defensive third baseman, but one of the best third baseman in all of baseball.
