| Slade Heathcott | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Heathcott batting for theNew York Yankees in 2015 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1990-09-28)September 28, 1990 (age 35) Texarkana, Texas, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 20, 2015, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 2015, for the New York Yankees | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .400 |
| Home runs | 2 |
| Runs batted in | 8 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Zachary Slade Heathcott (born September 28, 1990) is an American former professionalbaseballoutfielder. Heathcott was a first-rounddraft pick by theNew York Yankees ofMajor League Baseball (MLB) out ofTexas High School in the2009 MLB Draft. He played in 17 games for the Yankees during the 2015 season.
Heathcott was born inTexarkana, Texas. His mother, Kimberly, became pregnant with him while a teenager. Her relationship with his biological father ended soon thereafter, and she married Jeff Heathcott, who adopted him.[1] Jeff was arrested and convicted forforgery. The couple divorced while he was in high school. Kimberly relocated with Heathcott's younger brother, Zane, toAlexandria, Louisiana, while he remained in high school, attendingTexas High School inTexarkana, Texas. Heathcott spent his senior year of high school living out of his truck.[1]
At Texas High, Heathcott starred for thebaseball andAmerican football teams.[2] Anoutfielder andpitcher for the baseball team,[3] Heathcott led Texas High to the state's Class 4A baseball championship in his senior season.[4][5] He appeared in the AflacAll-American Game[6] and committed to attendLouisiana State University on a baseball scholarship.[4] For the football team, Heathcott playedlinebacker.[7]
Heathcott was drafted by theNew York Yankees in the first round, with the 29th overall selection, of the2009 Major League Baseball Draft. Louisiana State withdrew their scholarship to Heathcott and he signed with the Yankees, receiving a $2.2 millionsigning bonus. He reported to theGulf Coast Yankees of theRookie-levelGulf Coast League to make his professional debut.[8] He played for theCharleston RiverDogs of theClass ASouth Atlantic League (SAL) during the 2010 season, where he had a modest .258batting average andstruck out 101 times.[9] Heathcott required offseason shoulder surgery.[1] Returning to Charleston in 2011, he improved his batting average to .297 in his first 47 games, and was named to the SAL all-star team.[10] He was promoted to theTampa Yankees of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League that June.[11] He played in one game for Tampa before missing time with a shoulder injury.[12] He had surgery, and missed the remainder of the season.
Recovering from his injury, Heathcott played for the Tampa during the 2012 season. After the 2012 season, he played in theArizona Fall League for theScottsdale Scorpions. He was named week four's player of the week.[2] The Yankees invited Heathcott tospring training in 2013.[13] Playing for theTrenton Thunder of theClass AAEastern League in 2013, Heathcott compiled a .261 batting average, eighthome runs, and 49runs batted in (RBIs) in 103 games played.[14]
Heathcott was added to the Yankees'40-man roster after the 2013 season to protect him from being selected in theRule 5 draft.[14] He underwent knee surgery during the offseason.[15] In 2014, Heathcott played in nine games for the Thunder before his knee injury returned,[16] which required surgery and ended his season.[17] During the offseason, the Yankees opted not to tender Heathcott a contract.[18] Within two days of his non-tender, 15 teams reached out to Heathcott's agent.[19]
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Heathcott and the Yankees agreed on a minor league contract where he would be paid $110,000 instead of the expected $72,500 salary and anopt-out set for July 1 in case the Yankees had not readded Heathcott to the 40-man roster.[19] On January 6, 2015, the Yankees re-signed Heathcott to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.[20] He won theJames P. Dawson Award, given each year to the bestrookie in spring training.[21] Healthy to start the season, Heathcott was assigned to theScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of theClass AAAInternational League.[22] He batted .285 with 17 RBIs in his first 37 games.[23] Following an injury to Yankees' center fielderJacoby Ellsbury, the Yankees promoted Heathcott to the majors on May 20, 2015.[24] He made his MLB debut that day,[25] and received his first start on May 22.[26] He hit his first MLB home run on May 25 against theKansas City Royals' closerGreg Holland.[27] After batting .353 (6-for-17) with a home run and three RBIs in six games for the Yankees, Heathcott went on the disabled list when anMRI diagnosed him with astrainedquadriceps femoris muscle.[28] The Yankees activated him from the disabled list andoptioned him to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on July 31.[29] The Yankees promoted Heathcott after the end of the RailRiders' season on September 12. In his first at-bat after the promotion, Heathcott hit a game-winning home run against theTampa Bay Rays' closerBrad Boxberger.[30]
Heathcott began the 2016 season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He batted .230 before suffering a knee injury, and went on the disabled list. As the Yankees also had left-handed outfieldersBen Gamel,Mason Williams,Jake Cave, andDustin Fowler in their farm system, the team released Heathcott on May 26, 2016.[31]
On June 14, 2016, Heathcott signed a minor league contract with theChicago White Sox.[32] He spent the remainder of the season with the Triple–ACharlotte Knights, also playing in seven games for the rookie–levelArizona League White Sox. In 34 games for Charlotte, Heathcott batted .258/.407/.366 with two home runs and seven RBI. He elected free agency following the season on November 7.[33]
On March 18, 2017, Heathcott signed a minor league contract with theSan Francisco Giants organization.[34] He began the 2017 season with the Double–ARichmond Flying Squirrels of the Eastern League.[35] and also played for theSacramento River Cats of the Triple–APacific Coast League (PCL). In 119 games split between Richmond and Sacramento, he hit .267/.350/.435 with 14 home runs, 41 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. Heathcott elected free agency following the season on November 6.[36]
On January 8, 2018, Heathcott signed a minor league contract with theOakland Athletics and was assigned to the Triple–ANashville Sounds of the PCL. In 31 games for Nashville, he slashed .266/.333/.376 with one home run, nine RBI, and four stolen bases. Heathcott was released by the Athletics organization on May 15.[37]
On July 13, 2018, Heathcott signed with theSugar Land Skeeters of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 10 games for Sugar Land, he went 6–for–31 (.194) with three RBI and five walks. Heathcott became a free agent following the 2018 season. Heathcott announced his retirement from baseball on January 15, 2019, in order to become acommercial pilot.[38]
During his junior year of high school, Heathcott was arrested fordriving under the influence of alcohol and got kicked off the baseball team for poor academic performance. He also admitted to pointing a12 gaugeshotgun at his father during an argument.[1]
The Yankees found out about Heathcott's alcohol problem when heblacked out and lost hispassport the night before he was to fly to theDominican Republic.[1] They introduced him toSam Marsonek, who took Heathcott toAlcoholics Anonymous meetings. Heathcott credits finding religion with helping him to turn around his personal life.[1]
While at a restaurant inTampa, Florida, Heathcott met Jessica Baumann. The two began dating,[1] and were married in 2014.[39] They have a son named Kysen.[23]
· Baseball Almanac