Hays Starts His Career Strong

BALTIMORE—The professional side of baseball has come easily to outfielder Austin Hays in his first week.

Hays, a third-round pick this year out of Jacksonville, went 5-for-9 with three stolen bases in his first two games at short-season Aberdeen. He hit .310/.394/.448 with two doubles, a triple and three walks through eight games.

At this rate, he won’t stay in the New York-Penn League for long.

The 91st overall selection, Hays found out that the Orioles drafted him while he vacationed with family in Daytona Beach, Fla.

“They have a time-share there,” said Hays, 21. “Every single year, they stay there in the first week of June. It just lined up that they’d be there during the time of the draft, and I was unable to go the last few years.

“All my family was there. It was nice to be with them. I was just waiting for the phone call, and it happened with the Orioles really fast. I didn’t really know they selected me until three or four seconds before it happened. I got the text and looked at the TV and saw that it happened. We were ecstatic.

“I knew they had some interest in me, but I didn’t know they were really interested until a couple of days before the draft. I knew there was a chance they might take me.”

The Orioles expect Hays to improve.

“We liked him as five-tool player,” scouting director Gary Rajsich said. “He kind of came onto the scene this year. He had a good year and kind of surprised a lot of people because he wasn’t that strong on a lot of people’s radar.

“But we liked the total package. He does everything. He can play all three outfield positions. He can run, he can really throw and we like his bat and power.”

BIRD SEED

• The Orioles promoted 2015 first-round pick D.J. Stewart from low Class A Delmarva to high Class A Frederick.  The 25th overall pick out of Florida State, Stewart hit .230/.366/.352 with 12 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 25 RBIs in 62 games at Delmarva.

• Righthander Hunter Harvey, the 2013 first-round pick, is pitching again after having sports-hernia surgery in May. Harvey, who missed the 2015 season with a strained right flexor mass in his elbow, tossed five scoreless innings and struck out 11 batters over two appearances in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and, following a promotion, allowed one run in three innings at Aberdeen on July 5.