- Full name Calvin Hayes
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
The Cardinals gave up their first two picks in the 2002 draft as free-compensation for Tino Martinez and Jason Isringhausen, and many clubs felt they reached when they spent their top choice on Hayes in the third round. He has struggled to get on the field since signing for $400,000, missing time in 2003 with a strained wrist and spending most of 2004 bothered by a hamstring injury. The Cardinals have moved Hayes to second base after giving him a chance to play shortstop in his first season, and they envision him as an offensive second baseman in the mold of Ray Durham. Hayes will need a lot of work to approach that comparison, though, because his approach at the plate is rough. He's too aggressive and needs to play more like a tablesetter. He's a dynamic athlete with above-average speed and the ability to put a charge in the ball. But from basestealing to defense, he needs to refine his game. More than anything else, he needs to stay healthy and pile up at-bats, because he has just 283 so far in his pro career. He'll probably go back to low Class A to start the year. -
Hayes was the Cardinals' first pick in the 2002 draft, though he was the final selection of the third round. St. Louis lost its first two picks for signing free agents Tino Martinez and Jason Isringhausen. Hayes had committed to the University of North Carolina, but St. Louis signed him late in the summer for $400,000. He stood out more as a running back in high school and many teams didn't see him as a third-rounder, but the Cardinals zeroed in on him early. He missed a month of his pro debut last year with a strained left wrist. Hayes is an all-around athlete, and his speed and quickness stand out the most among his tools. He uses his wheels well on the basepaths, succeeding on 16 of his 18 steal attempts in 2003. He should have gap power and showed a better-than-expected approach at the plate. He jumps at the ball sometimes and will need to channel his aggressive approach. Hayes has the tools to be a solid defender, though he'll probably outgrow shortstop and struggled there in Rookie ball, making 19 errors in just 32 games. He's very much a work in progress. He'll spend this season in low Class A.