Mitch Keller and Ke'Bryan Hayes named to All-Star Futures Team

Pittsburgh Pirates minor league right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller and infielder Ke'Bryan Hayes have been named to the U.S. team roster for the All-Star Futures Game. The announcement was made by Major League Baseball. In addition, Single-A West Virginia Power pitching coach and former Pirate Joel Hanrahan will serve as the Bullpen Coach for the U.S. team. The game will take place on Sunday, July 15, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
Keller entered this season rated by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline as Pittsburgh's No. 1 prospect. He is also currently rated by MLBPipeline as the 12th-best prospect in all of baseball.
The 22-year-old Keller has posted a combined record of 9-3 with a 3.71 ERA (94.2ip/39er) and 89 strikeouts in 16 starts this season between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. At the time of his promotion to Indianapolis on June 28, Keller ranked first in the Eastern League in wins (nine), fourth in ERA (2.72) and batting average against (.208), third in innings pitched (86.0) and second in fewest baserunners allowed per 9.0 innings (10.05).
Keller, who was selected by the Pirates in the second round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, was Pittsburgh's Minor League Pitcher-of-the-Year in 2016. Last season, Keller ranked third among all Pirates minor leaguers in ERA (3.03) and fourth in strikeouts (116). He also pitched in the Arizona Fall League, where he was one of three starting pitchers named to the Arizona Fall League's Top Prospects team following the season.
Hayes enters today rated by MLBPipeline as Pittsburgh's third-best prospect. The 21-year-old infielder has spent the entire 2018 campaign with Altoona, where he is hitting .290 (89-for-272) with 20 doubles, a league-high tying six triples, four home runs and 21 RBI in 71 games. Hayes was selected 32nd overall in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft as Pittsburgh's supplemental first round selection.
Hayes spent the entire 2017 season with the Single-A Bradenton Marauders, where he was named a Gold Glove Award winner at third base for all of minor league baseball while leading all Florida State League third basemen in fielding percentage (.974). He entered the 2018 campaign tabbed by Baseball America as the "Best Defensive Infielder" in Pittsburgh's minor league system.
A complete list of previous Pittsburgh selections for the All-Star Futures Game can be found on page 225 of the 2018 Pirates media guide.