Oakland’s next great shortstop? O’Dowd’s Rashad Hayes shows why MLB teams love his glove, believe in his bat
PIEDMONT – Bishop O’Dowd shortstop Rashad Hayes Jr. makes fielding look easy, plucking ground balls from the dirt and whipping a pinpoint throw to second or first base for an out. In a 9-5 victory on Wednesday over Piedmont, he threw out three runners and caught two pop-ups for the Oakland private school. That defensive skillset is coveted by MLB and top college teams. Hayes is rated by multiple sites among the Top 100 amateur prospects in the class of 2025. Baseball America recently listed him as the second-best defensive infielder in his class. “Before the play happens, I already know where I’m going with the ball and what I want to do with it,” said Hayes, a Stanford commit. “So when the ball is hit, I’m just playing loose and allowing my body to react to what’s happening.” Bishop O’Dowd’s Rashad Hayes (5) spins his glove on his fingers while wearing for the next pitch against Piedmont High in the sixth inning of their 9-5 win at Piedmnont High School in Piedmont, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The