Quick Facts
Biography
Austin Hays (born July 5, 1995) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2017.
Career
Hays attended Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, Florida. He enrolled at Seminole State College of Florida, where he played college baseball for the Seminole State Raiders, and transferred to Jacksonville University, where he continued his college baseball career with the Jacksonville Dolphins.
The Baltimore Orioles selected Hays in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. Hays made his professional debut with the Aberdeen Ironbirds of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League and started the 2017 season with the Frederick Keys of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League. On May 26, 2017, he became the first player in Frederick history to hit three home runs in one game. He received a promotion to the Bowie Baysox of the Class AA Eastern League in June 2017.
The Orioles promoted Hays to the major leagues on September 5, 2017, making him the first 2016 draftee to reach the major leagues. He made his major league debut September 7, 2017. He had his first MLB hit, followed by his first MLB home run, in a 9–3 loss against the New York Yankees on September 16.