In the fall of 2007, (John) Bryant Hayman enrolled at Ware County High School. From his arrival in the fall of 2007 to his departure in the spring of 2011, Hayman became arguably one of the most decorated athletes in Ware County history. Playing both baseball and football, he had a knack for being the best athlete on the field. His athletic talent was only superseded by his intense work ethic. Hayman’s athletic success carried him to a scholarship to Valdosta State University and now a professional baseball career with the Minnesota Twins organization.
The football career of Bryant Hayman was a brief but exciting four years. In his freshman year at Ware County he was one of only two freshmen to get varsity paying time, including two playoff games, as a quarterback. In his sophomore year, Bryant became QB1 for Ware County for the first four weeks of the season after senior starter Dustin Cox went down with a hand injury. After Cox came back, Hayman split time with the senior for the rest of the season. In his junior year Hayman became the full-time starter where he led the Gators to a 5-5 mark under 1st year head coach Ed Dudley. During that year Hayman had a bit of a rollercoaster season. He had highs like his last minute touchdown pass against rival Coffee County and he had lows like being replaced during the first round of playoffs by senior Jimmy Wilkins, something that to this day still haunts Hayman. During his senior year, Hayman permanently switched positions to tight-end where he excelled and earned 1st team all-region honors while also becoming a master of the crack-back block.
Hayman’s football career was only outshined by his baseball career where he was nothing short of sensational. In the spring of 2008 he was the only freshman to play for the varsity baseball team. He played in every game that season and showed everyone that he was ready to be the next big star out of Ware County. In 2009 Hayman proved that he was not only the best player on Ware’s team but also one of the best in the region by winning 1st team all-region. In 2010 Hayman won 1st team all-region once again and helped Ware County advance to the elite 8 which is still the deepest any Ware County team has gone in the playoffs. In 2011 he won 1st team all-region for the 3rd consecutive year and tied the all-time homerun record at Ware County.
Hayman signed his letter of intent to play baseball at Valdosta State University where he became a standout once again. In his freshman year at Valdosta State he won All-Gulf South Conference honors and was named GSC Freshman of the Year. In all three of his sophomore, junior and senior years he was named to the All-Gulf South Conference team and received All-South Region honors. He is only one of two players
in Gulf South Conference history to win all-conference honors in all 4 years. In his Blazer career, Hayman had a .342 batting average, hit 40 homeruns and drove in 187 RBIs. He is tied for the single game record in doubles (3) and hits (6). His 40 career homeruns ranks second in Valdosta State history, only 4 homeruns shy of Blazer Hall-of-Famer Bobby McDonald.
What is not quantifiable about his Blazer career is his leadership ability. Greg Guilliams, the Head Coach at Valdosta State had this to say, “I think the best thing about Bryant is that he comes in everyday and works harder than just about anybody. His work ethic is contagious and it makes everybody else want to be as good as him so they all try to emulate that. He just does things the right way, whether it be on or off the field.” In his junior and senior years at VSU, Bryant was named a team captain for Valdosta State. Also in his senior year he won the 
FCA Male Athlete of the Year Award for being a gracious and humble leader for VSU’s baseball team. Bryant is not a fire and brimstone speech kind of leader, he’s more of a lead by example type player and his coaches and teammates respond well to that. He is very humble as well, while interviewing Bryant for this article I found it impossible for him to compliment his own talent which is almost endless.
During the summer of 2013, Hayman played with the Staunton Braves of the Valley Baseball League. In that summer he was the 10th best rated prospect in the Valley League, led the league in home runs and won the Valley League Home Run Derby. Hayman went undrafted in the 2015 MLB Draft but signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Twins organization. He played the 2015 season with the rookie ball classification Gulf Coast League Twins. He led the team in homeruns despite only playing in 33 of 59 games. For the 2016 season Hayman is currently playing with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the single-A affiliate of the Twins organization. After a rough couple of weeks at the beginning of the season, Hayman began working with a personal hitting coach who Hayman says has really helped him regain confidence in his swing. One thing is for sure, if Hayman can get his swing back on track, he will surely be out of single-A ball in a hurry. Coach Guilliams at Valdosta State believes that Bryant’s talent can take him as far as he wants to go, which I can certainly agree with. Guilliams thinks Bryant has traits similar to those of Cleveland Indians catcher and first baseman Mike Napoli. “I think Bryant has Napoli’s ability, but maybe more power and a stronger arm” Guilliams said. If this is the case, he may be headed to the show quicker than expected.
While Bryant Hayman is a professional baseball player and a star in South Georgia, he has never let his success dictate who he is as a person. Bryant’s humbleness and his willingness to put others before himself define who he really is. He says that his success is a testament to everyone’s hard work, not just his. “It’s everyone that’s been a coach or trainer or anybody that’s been around me on a field whether it was football or baseball.” Hayman said. When asked what motivated him as a player, Hayman responded, “At the end of the day I want my teammates to not necessarily remember me as the best they ever played with, I just want them to remember me as a guy that showed up, worked hard and would do anything for them any day of the week.” Hayman certainly shines on the diamond but it’s off the diamond is where he shines the brightest and that is reflected in his family, friends, coaches and teammates relationships with him.
While Bryant has certainly made a name for himself here in South Georgia, he still has a long way to go to get to where he wants to be. However, one thing is for sure, his dedication and integrity are certainly the strongest parts of his game. South Georgia is rooting for you, Bryant. Best of luck in your professional career. I look forward to revisiting this article when your accomplishments exceed the media’s expectations.
Zachary Pine
In The Game Sports Network/June 2016
Hayman’s Future and Legacy
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Photos By: Laura Morris, @bhayman41 (Twitter), Valdosta State Athletics
