The Outfielder has signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The contract also contains a $1 million performance-based bonus.
He played for both the Baltimore Orioles and the Philadelphia Phillies last season. The Orioles traded Hays to the Phillies just before the trade deadline on July 26. Hays was on the injured list three times during the regular season, once with the Orioles and twice with the Phillies. Hays missed the most of September due to a kidney ailment, but he was able to recover by the end of the regular season.
He also appeared in the Phillies’ postseason games, platooning with Brandon Marsh in left field. Hays will enter his age-29 season in 2025.
In November, Austin Hays became a free agent after the Phillies declined to tender his contract.
Austin Hays had a.255/.303/.396 batting line in 85 games in 2024, with five home runs and 20 RBIs. He had a 98 wRC+,.318 BABIP,.303 wOBA, and 26 runs scored. Hays’ strikeout rate was 23.1% and his walk rate was 3.5%. Hays struggled defensively in left field, finishing with -8 Defensive Runs Saved, -3 Outs Above Average, and a fielding run-value of -4. Notably, Hays was selected to the 2023 All-Star team. Hays has played all three outfield positions throughout his career, with the majority of his time spent in left field and infrequent stints in center and right.
Hays made his main league debut with the Orioles in 2017, a year after being selected in the MLB Draft. He played in all three outfield positions, but spent the majority of his career in left field. Hays has a career.261 average,.745 OPS. He’s hoping to recoup after a disappointing 2024 season split between the Orioles and Phillies.