The 2009 Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, Jason Heyward, is an absolute stud on the diamond. He literally has no flaws in his game, and should be an instant fantasy man-crush for anyone that has the pleasure to own him.
Let’s see how Heyward grades out:
- Power.Heyward already has 30+ Home Run power. With Heyward’s 6’4″ frame it would not be surprising if that turns into 40+ Home Runs.
Grade: A+ - Contact.Heyward has tremendous patience at the plate, and he does not strikeout at an alarming rate. Unlike Baseball Prospectus’ Kevin Goldstein, I do not think Hayward will be competing for batting titles. During his prime years, I think a Batting Average in the range of 290-310 is more reasonable.
Grade: A- - Speed.Doesn’t attempt a lot of steals, but his Speed Scores suggest that Heyward is a smart base runner that could eventually turn into stolen bases.
Grade: A- - Approach.
Grade: A - Opportunity.You don’t keep talent like Heyward’s in the minors for four years. There is certainly an opening for Heyward in the Braves outfield, but he will still need to earn his spot in Spring Training. Expect Heyward in an Atlanta Braves uniform by All-Star break at the latest.
Grade: A - Hype. If you manage to find a Top Prospect list without Jason Heyward in the Top 10 then you can classify that list as fraudulent. Heyward is a consensus Top 5 prospect, and deservingly so.
Grade: A+ - Intangibles.The Braves park will not halter Heyward’s production, but he has had some minor injuries. You have to hope that most of the games he sits out in the minor leagues are precautionary and they won’t be reoccurring.
Grade: A-
Overall Fantasy Prospect Rating: 76 out of 80
My Thoughts: Like most rookies, it is best not to expect miracles. However, Jason Heyward is the #1 Fantasy Baseball Hitting Prospect, and could very well become a first-round fantasy draft pick within the next three years.
If I had to predict Heyward’s 2010 season I would say he hits .281 with 87 Runs, 23 Home Runs, 85 RBI and 8 Stolen Bases. He’s certainly one of the leading NL Rookie of the Year candidates and worth a look in all normal-sized fantasy leagues.
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