Ke’Bryan Hayes’ Struggles Compared to Reds Legends at Third Base

As the 2026 season unfolds, Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes finds himself in a challenging position, opening the season with a dismal 3-for-34 start. In the 215 plate appearances since his transition from the Pittsburgh Pirates last summer, Hayes has recorded a batting line of .208/.288/.297, resulting in a .585 OPS and an OPS+ of 60. This performance prompts a deeper look into the history of notable Reds players at the hot corner and how their offensive contributions compare.

One such player is Jack Hannahan, who, like Hayes, primarily played third base but also filled in at various infield positions. Over two seasons with the Reds, Hannahan managed to compile a .209/.294/.278 line in 212 plate appearances, leading to an OPS of .572 and an OPS+ of 60 during his tenure.

Another name that comes to mind is Corey Patterson, who joined the Reds following a stint with the Baltimore Orioles. In 2008, Patterson logged 392 plate appearances, often batting leadoff, and produced a meager .205/.238/.344 line, resulting in a .582 OPS and an OPS+ of just 50 in a challenging offensive environment.

Skip Schumaker was brought in to bolster the Reds after they had surprisingly won 90+ games twice without him in the early part of the decade. In 2014, he hit the ground running, posting a .235/.287/.308 line in 271 plate appearances, which translated to a .595 OPS and a 68 OPS+. The Reds were impressed enough with his veteran presence to re-sign him for the 2015 season, where he improved to .242/.306/.336 with a .642 OPS and a 76 OPS+.

Meanwhile, Paul Janish, known for his defensive prowess, mirrored Hayes’ situation in that he too had his struggles at the plate. Across four seasons and 975 plate appearances, Janish recorded a line of .221/.289/.302, yielding a .591 OPS and a 59 OPS+ while providing stellar defense.

Shogo Akiyama, who spent more than just one season with the Reds after making the jump from Japan, also had an interesting tenure. In 366 plate appearances, he managed a .224/.320/.274 line, which resulted in a .594 OPS and a 57 OPS+. His time with the Reds came during a tumultuous period, but his offensive output still fell short of expectations.

Lastly, we can’t overlook the legacy of Dan Driessen, who, despite a career bWAR of -6.9 over 11 seasons with five franchises, had a notable stint with the Reds. During his time with the team, he posted a .275/.310/.341 line in 411 plate appearances, achieving an OPS of .651 and an OPS+ of 82, significantly better than his overall career numbers.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.