When he's not on the injured list, Orioles minor-league outfielder Austin Hays has been exactly the type of player the team expected him to be when they drafted him out of Jacksonville University in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Hays hit .329/.365/.593 with High-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie in 2017, earning him a look at the major-league level in September 2017. He hit .217 with eight RBIs and a home run in 60 at-bats with the Orioles. But he spent time on the injured list nursing an ankle injury in 2018, which eventually required surgery. Most recently, he sprained his thumb during a minor-league spring training game in March, which has limited him to just 17 games this season.
Despite the rash of injuries, Hays says he has learned to be more patient than he thought he was capable of being by staying positive and focused on the goal of eventually returning to the majors.
