Why Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes will take a step forward offensively in 2025

One of the biggest disappointments from the Pirates during the 2024 season was Gold Glove third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. He had a solid 2023 season at the plate, but last season, he completely regressed and was among one of the worst hitters in Major League Baseball.

His reoccurring back injuries are certainly a factor in his diminished performance, but there are reasons to believe he can return in 2025 with solid offensive production. The optimism surrounding the hiring of Matt Hague could fuel Hayes' potential improvements, based on what Hague proved with Toronto. Let's examine what about Hague's coaching will help Hayes improve at the plate in 2025.

Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes will improve offensively with hitting coach Matt Hague's offensive strategy

Last season, Hayes had a batting average of .233 with four home runs and 25 runs batted in. His OPS sat at .573, along with a wRC+ of 59 and a strikeout percentage of 18.9%. These were terrible results, and his swing itself is what needs to be adjusted.

His strikeout rate was actually solid, ranking in the 68th percentile, but when he made contact, nothing was hit solidly or in the air. His barrel rate was at 2.4%, ranking in the third percentile, and his average exit velocity was at 88.9 miles per hour, ranking in the 46th percentile.

These poor numbers off the bat are from his poor launch angle of 4.8 degrees. The MLB league average in lauch angle was 13.3 degrees. That contributed towards his poor groundball rate of 52.7% and fly ball rate of just 28.2%.

In 2023, Hayes had a batting average of .271 with 15 home runs, driving in 61. Additionally, his wRC+ was at 100 along with an OPS of .762. These numbers came directly from a launch angle of 13.2 degrees, which helped create a barrel rate of 7.4%, average exit velocity of 92.2 miles per hour (93rd percentile), ground ball rate of just 41.8%, and a fly ball rate of 39%.

Returning Hayes back to a launch angle around 13.2 degrees is exactly what Hague needs to do, and he has proven to know how to do that in Toronto. As a team in 2024, the Blue Jays had a launch angle of 13.4. On top of that, his offense also posted a collective ground ball rate of 41.8% and a fly ball rate of 38.2%.

What Hague advises his players to do is exactly what Hayes has recently had success doing. Bringing Hague to the staff is just what Hayes needed, and it will help him take a step forward offensively, resulting in a massive rebound in 2025.