The on-field career of a Major Leaguer is always going to have its peaks and valleys. There are slumps, awards, playoffs, trades, and everything else that can occur at the highest level of the game. One player who is having a down year offensively but is still a valuable part of his team is third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes of the Cincinnati Reds. 

 

 

Ke’Bryan Hayes Slowed By Injury Bug In 2026

Hayes played in a career-high 152 games last season, but the injury bug has crept back on him here in 2026 and has slowed his game down. Hayes is batting just .152, after being limited to less than 100 games for the second time in the past three seasons.

He missed roughly seven weeks earlier in the season due to a lumbar bulging disc (suffered in late May), completed a minor-league rehab assignment in July, and was reinstated to the active roster. While third base traditionally is played by someone with power, Hayes has held his own at the plate in the past and certainly has turned into one of the best players to field the hot corner in the National League. 

“Coming up, I always hit. Since I’ve been in the big leagues, I haven’t been fully healthy since when I debuted in 2020. Whenever I was healthy, I hit,” Hayes tols mlb.com back in March. “Sometimes it’s kind of annoying to only be looked at [for defense], but that’s for me to change that narrative with my play on the field.”

Hayes Was Highly Touted Out of High School: Second Generation 3rd Baseman

Hayes was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015 out of high school in Texas. He had a great minor league career and was brought up very steadily in the Pirates organization. Over the years, so many early-round picks, especially first-rounders, are brought up very quickly. 

Hayes was not rushed, and his development and stability have shown because of it. He won three straight minor league Gold Glove awards from 2017 through 2019 and also was the starting third baseman for Team USA (managed by MLBbro Torri Hunter) in the 2018 Major League Baseball Futures Game, where he delivered a two-run homer. 

Whether it was Player of the Week or Player of the Year, he was garnering an award. It prepared him for his call-up on September 1, 2020, when he doubled and homered against the Cubs. There was yet another award for him to take home as his .376 batting average gave him National League Rookie of the Month to close out that season.  

Despite Hitting Struggles, Gold Glove Caliber Fielding Remains 

The Pirates appeared to have had their third baseman of the future, especially after giving him an eight-year contract to start the 2022 season. He raised the bar for himself during the 2023 campaign with a .271 batting average, 31 doubles, and a career-high 15 bro bombs. The Gold Glove award was undoubtedly his that year as he committed just six errors and had a fielding percentage of .984. 

A couple of stints on the injured list due to back inflammation prevented him from duplicating the feat again in 2024, however. The Pirates looked in a different direction in July 2025, and while Hayes ended up in a Reds uniform, the one thing that didn’t change was his amazing fielding ability. He brought home his second Gold Glove award, proving manager Terry Francona right.

“He might be the best defender in baseball. If not, he’s right there. He’s that good,” the Reds skipper said on obtaining Hayes during the trade deadline last season. 

Hayes has had quite the career, and he’s not done yet. He shed the tag of “Charlie’s son” long ago. The 29-year-old has had a taste of the postseason and has two Gold Gloves to his name. This may not be his best offensive year, but he is still an elite third baseman, and his fielding percentage of .987 proves that, with just 30 games left in the season.