Daren Hays shows up today on card number 9 of the 1990 Star Charlotte Rangers team set. He doesn't look very thrilled to be getting his picture on a baseball card.
Texas drafted Hays late in the 1989 draft. In the 38th round to be exact. Draftees that late aren't really considered to be top prospects or even sleepers. Daren played for the Butte Copper Kings in the Pioneer League of Rookie Ball in 1989. He managed a .316 batting average and a .379 on-base percentage in 235 plate appearances. He also appeared to be a pretty decent outfielder and even got some work at first base.
That performance got Hays promoted to A+ Charlotte for the 1990 season. He would play in 70 games for the Charlotte Rangers and make 208 trips to the plate. The results were a .226 batting average and a .301 on-base percentage. His doubles dropped from 16 with Butte to 5 with Charlotte. In 59 games he played in the outfield and tallied a .975 fielding percentage.
It was probably those numbers and the drastic drop from his Rookie Ball production that caused Daren's serious expression when the Star photographer came around. 38th round draft picks don't get many second chances, especially at A+ ball. That would hold true for Daren Hays. 1990 was his last season in pro ball.
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