Austin Hays

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #4 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Hays put together one of the more impressive full-season debuts of any player in 2017. He hit .332 with 32 home runs between high Class A Frederick and Double-A Bowie and made his big league debut in September, becoming the first player from the 2016 draft to reach the majors. But Hays struggled through an ankle injury in 2018, missed the beginning of 2019 with a thumb injury and also dealt with a midseason hamstring injury before finally making his way back to the majors in September.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A highly aggressive hitter, Hays regained some of his opposite-field approach in 2019 after becoming too pull-heavy. His bat speed allows him to stay back on spin without sacrificing the ability to catch up to fastballs. He has above-average power and the raw tools to be an average hitter, though plate discipline has been a problem in the past. The Orioles looked at Hays' strikeout-to-walk ratio in September in the majors and deemed his year a success. He continues to show a plus arm with average range with good instincts in the outfield, earning him his first significant look in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hays will compete for an Opening Day roster spot for the third straight year in 2020. He showed enough in September to be considered an immediate center field solution.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #4 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Hays became the first member of the 2016 draft class to make the majors in 2017, establishing himself as the Orioles' top prospect in the process. But his candidacy to win the starting right field job never took off in 2018 after spring shoulder soreness. He scuffled upon his return to Double-A Bowie and missed two months with a stress fracture in his ankle. He bounced back with a decent August (.267/.287/.500) but had ankle surgery in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Hays got away from his all-fields approach, appearing to sell out for pull power and get through the zone too quickly. His naturally quick hands and solid approach allow him to catch up to heat and recognize spin, but he only did that in August when he closed off his stance, and even then, his over-aggressive approach meant that he rarely got on base other than when he cracked an extra-base hit. When his above-average power is a symptom of his fluid, adaptable swing instead of the end goal, Hays has an above-average hit tool, although his on-base percentage is largely tied to his batting average. His plus arm projects best in right, but he can also play center.
  
  The Future: Hays hit the reset button once he returned in August and showed his immense talent and everyday outfield ceiling was still in there. He'll get another crack at the Opening Day roster in what's expect to be a crowded outfield.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2018
  Hays' ascent from an unheralded and undersized amateur player to becoming the first 2016 draftee to make the majors has been a testament to his dedication and the benefit of playing baseball regularly, no matter the level. A four-year starter at Spruce Creek High in Port Orange, Fla., Hays spent a year at Seminole State (Fla.) JC and was the team's MVP before transferring to Jacksonville. There, he blossomed into a star, posting a solid sophomore season before hitting 16 home runs and shooting up draft boards as a junior. The Orioles selected Hays in the third round in 2016, and despite him missing time with a wrist issue after the draft, he began 2017 at high Class A Frederick and reached the majors by mid-September. The power spike that began in college continued as a professional. He went from three home runs as a sophomore to 33 between Frederick, Double-A Bowie and Baltimore in 2017. The consistent success Hays showed in the minors indicated that he was steady enough to handle the majors. A baseball rat who has endeared himself to the Orioles for a playing style that's energetic-bordering-on-reckless, Hays' compact swing and above-average bat speed help him attack the ball and drive it to all fields. He has proved to be particularly adept at hitting fastballs in any count. While he controls the barrel and can be a plus hitter with plus power, his aggression in attacking fastballs made him susceptible to major league secondary pitches, an issue that Hays and the Orioles knew of before his stint in the big leagues and believe can be improved with more experience. Hays can be an above-average right fielder thanks to a plus arm and good instincts in the field, and he has played some center field. Though he hasn't stolen many bases as a professional, he runs a tick above-average and always hustles out of the box. Hays' overall package plays as an everyday regular who contributes in all phases of the game, and his solid-average to plus tools play up because of his effort and makeup. He will need to adapt his aggressive approach to major league secondary pitches, but his defense and ability to hit lefthanders could help him hold down a big league roster spot in 2018. He'll likely get a chance to earn the Orioles' vacant right field job in spring training.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #7 prospect in 2017
  Hays' decorated amateur career included helping Spruce Creek High (just south of Daytona Beach, Fla.) to a state 8A championship as a junior and earning the No. 1 ranking on BA's Florida Collegiate Summer League prospects list in 2014. He was MVP of Seminole (Fla.) State JC's team as a freshman in 2014 before transferring to Jacksonville. After a modest sophomore year, he led the Atlantic Sun Conference with 16 homers in 2016 and ranked in the top 25 in Division I in home runs and slugging (.655). In his pro debut, he led short-season Aberdeen with four homers, all after missing a month with a sprained wrist. Hays has a better overall package of tools than former Florida State outfielder D.J. Stewart, the club's 2015 first-round pick. He has a chance to hit for average and power, showing the ability to hit to all fields. Hays shows above-average bat speed, creates leverage with his righthanded swing and is a high-energy player. Ranked as the No. 14 prospect in the short-season New York-Penn League, Hays hit .336 in his pro debut. His speed plays as above-average, and he played solid defense in right field, where he gets good reads and has a plus arm. Some club officials believe he may fit in center field. Hays impressed the Orioles in instructional league with his play in center, and he could play there in 2017 as he embarks on full-season ball.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #47 prospect in 2016 draft
  Hays began his college career at Seminole State JC (Fla.) before transferring to Jacksonville for his sophomore year. He had a solid first season with the Dolphins, but has taken a significant step forward this spring. He has become the focal point of Jacksonville's lineup, and leads the team in most offensive categories. Hays has above-average power, and the righthanded hitter has shown good contact skills. His above-average arm strength fits well in right field, where he is a solid defender. Hays' overall package gives him a chance to become a prototypical right fielder.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Carolina League #3 prospect in 2017
  As an amateur, Hays was lauded for his all-around blend of skills. The Orioles found a way to alter his swing mechanics in pro ball to produce power, and he blitzed from high Class A to Double-A in a full-season debut that ended in the big leagues in September. Carolina League managers saw above-average tools out of Hays in every facet. They liked his ability to punish both fastballs and offspeed pitches, and to hit balls out of the park to all fields. In the outfield, Hays handled center field adequately but doesn't have true plus speed. His above-average arm and power potential make right field his likely future position.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #3 prospect in 2017
  Among the biggest breakout players of 2017, Hays quickly made the Orioles look smart for drafting him out of Jacksonville in the third round last year. He tore up the Carolina and Eastern leagues with eerily symmetrical ferocity while showcasing impressive tools. Baltimore called him up in September to participate in the wild-card race. As one manager described Hays: "Good doesn't do him justice. He's an unbelievable player who can do anything on the field." Managers saw a player who can hit any pitch with authority. His 32 home runs overall ranked him second in the minors behind Astros first baseman A.J. Reed. Hays split time in center field in Bowie with Cedric Mullins, and though he would be fine in center in the majors, his plus-plus arm makes him a perfect fit for right field. He doesn't have the plus foot speed typical of center fielders, but managers saw him make up for it with excellent routes and jumps.
• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #14 prospect in 2016
  Hays made a huge jump his junior season--his second year at Jacksonville after transferring from Seminole State JC (Fla.). He batted .350/.406/.655 with 16 home runs--13 more than he hit the year before--in 223 at-bats. The Orioles took Hays with the 91st overall pick, and he continued to swing with authority once he got to the NYP. Hays packs strength into his 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame. He has above-average bat speed and creates leverage with his righthanded swing, producing a .178 isolated slugging percentage this summer after a .305 mark at Jacksonville. He has above-average power and has shown the ability to make consistent contact at the plate. With his above-average arm strength and power, Hays fits the prototype right-field profile. "He's got some tools," said one scout who saw him this summer. "He's definitely the best one of their guys they've had roll through there.""

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #21 prospect in 2018

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Hays put together one of the more impressive full-season debuts of any player in 2017. He hit .332 with 32 home runs between high Class A Frederick and Double-A Bowie and made his big league debut in September, becoming the first player from the 2016 draft to reach the majors. But Hays struggled through an ankle injury in 2018, missed the beginning of 2019 with a thumb injury and also dealt with a midseason hamstring injury before finally making his way back to the majors in September.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A highly aggressive hitter, Hays regained some of his opposite-field approach in 2019 after becoming too pull-heavy. His bat speed allows him to stay back on spin without sacrificing the ability to catch up to fastballs. He has above-average power and the raw tools to be an average hitter, though plate discipline has been a problem in the past. The Orioles looked at Hays’ strikeout-to-walk ratio in September in the majors and deemed his year a success. He continues to show a plus arm with average range with good instincts in the outfield, earning him his first significant look in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hays will compete for an Opening Day roster spot for the third straight year in 2020. He showed enough in September to be considered an immediate center field solution.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Hays put together one of the more impressive full-season debuts of any player in 2017. He hit .332 with 32 home runs between high Class A Frederick and Double-A Bowie and made his big league debut in September, becoming the first player from the 2016 draft to reach the majors. But Hays struggled through an ankle injury in 2018, missed the beginning of 2019 with a thumb injury and also dealt with a midseason hamstring injury before finally making his way back to the majors in September.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A highly aggressive hitter, Hays regained some of his opposite-field approach in 2019 after becoming too pull-heavy. His bat speed allows him to stay back on spin without sacrificing the ability to catch up to fastballs. He has above-average power and the raw tools to be an average hitter, though plate discipline has been a problem in the past. The Orioles looked at Hays' strikeout-to-walk ratio in September in the majors and deemed his year a success. He continues to show a plus arm with average range with good instincts in the outfield, earning him his first significant look in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hays will compete for an Opening Day roster spot for the third straight year in 2020. He showed enough in September to be considered an immediate center field solution.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Hays became the first member of the 2016 draft class to make the majors in 2017, establishing himself as the Orioles’ top prospect in the process. But his candidacy to win the starting right field job never took off in 2018 after spring shoulder soreness. He scuffled upon his return to Double-A Bowie and missed two months with a stress fracture in his ankle. He bounced back with a solid August but had surgery in September. Scouting Report: Hays got away from his all-fields approach, appearing to sell out for pull power and get through the zone too quickly. His naturally quick hands and solid approach allow him to catch up to heat and recognize spin, but he only did that in August when he closed off his stance. When his above-average power is a symptom of his fluid, adaptable swing instead of the end goal, Hays has an above-average hit tool. His plus arm projects best in right, but he can also play center. The Future: Hays hit the reset button once he returned in August and showed his immense talent and everyday outfield ceiling was still in there. He’ll get another crack at the Opening Day roster in what’s expect to be a crowded outfield.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Hays’ breakout 2017 season ended with an eye-opening major league call-up, but injuries haven’t given him much of a chance to build on any of that. Hays deal with a shoulder injury in spring training and struggled to regain his swing and confidence before being sidelined in late May with an ankle injury. While his struggles this year have dimmed his outlook some, Hays showed in 2017 that he can impact the game in a lot of ways with solid-average tools across the board. The Orioles hope to see that when he returns after the All-Star break.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Hays' ascent from an unheralded and undersized amateur player to becoming the first 2016 draftee to make the majors has been a testament to his dedication and the benefit of playing baseball regularly, no matter the level. A four-year starter at Spruce Creek (Fla.) High, Hays spent a year at Seminole State (Fla.) JC and was the team's MVP before going to the University of Jacksonville. There, he blossomed into a star, posting a solid sophomore season but hitting 16 home runs and shooting up draft boards as a junior. The Orioles selected Hays in the third round of the 2016 draft, and despite him missing time with a wrist issue after the draft, he began 2017 at high Class-A Frederick and reached the majors by mid-September. The power spike that began at Jacksonville continued as a professional, as he went from three home runs as a sophomore to 33 between two minor league levels and the majors this season. To earn his September callup, Hays hit .332 with 32 home runs and 32 doubles between high Class-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie, and was a finalist for Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year Award. The symmetry in his batting lines and the consistent success that he showed at both levels indicated that he was a steady enough to handle the majors. In 20 big league games, Hays hit .217 with a .555 OPS and one home run, while playing every day for the last two-plus weeks. Scouting Report: A baseball rat who has endeared himself to Orioles brass for his lack of batting gloves and a playing style that's energetic-bordering-on-reckless, Hays' compact swing and above-average bat speed help him attack the ball and drive it to all fields, and he has proved to be particularly adept at hitting fastballs in any count. While he controls the barrel and can be a plus hitter with plus power, his aggression in attacking fastballs made him susceptible to major league secondary pitches, an issue that Hays and the Orioles knew of before his stint in the big leagues and believe can be improved with more experience. Hays can be an above-average right fielder thanks to a plus arm and good instincts in the field, and he has played some center field. Though he hasn't stolen many bases as a professional, he runs a tick above average and always hustles out of the box. The Future: While Hays' best raw tool may be his arm, his overall package plays as an every-day regular who contributes in all phases of the game, and his solid-average tools play up because of his effort and makeup. Hays will need to adapt his aggressive approach to major league secondary pitches, but his defense and ability to hit lefthanded pitching could help him hold down a major league roster spot in 2018. He'll likely get a chance to earn the Orioles' vacant right field job in spring training.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Hays' decorated amateur career included helping Spruce Creek High (just south of Daytona Beach, Fla.) to a state 8A championship as a junior and earning the No. 1 ranking on BA's Florida Collegiate Summer League prospects list in 2014. He led the Atlantic Sun Conference with 16 homers in 2016, then led short-season Aberdeen with four more, all after missing a month with a sprained wrist. Scouting Report: Hays has a better overall package of tools than Florida State outfielder D.J. Stewart, the club's 2015 first-round pick. He has a chance to hit for average and power, showing the ability to hit to all fields. Hays shows above-average bat speed, creates leverage with his righthanded swing and is a high-energy player. Ranked as the No. 14 prospect in the short-season New York-Penn League, Hays hit .336 in his pro debut. His speed plays as above-average, and he played solid defense in right field, where he gets good reads and has a plus arm. Some club officials believe he may fit in center field. The Future: Hays impressed the Orioles in instructional league with his play in center field, and he could play there in 2017 as he embarks on full-season ball.