| Jason Heyward | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Heyward with theChicago Cubs in 2016 | |
| Free agent | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1989-08-09)August 9, 1989 (age 36) Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 5, 2010, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .255 |
| Hits | 1,575 |
| Home runs | 186 |
| Runs batted in | 730 |
| Stolen bases | 125 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Jason Alias Heyward (born August 9, 1989), nicknamed "J-Hey", is an American professionalbaseballoutfielder who is currently a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theAtlanta Braves,St. Louis Cardinals,Chicago Cubs,Los Angeles Dodgers,Houston Astros, andSan Diego Padres.
Originally the Braves' first-round selection in the2007 MLB draft fromHenry County High School inGeorgia, Heyward began hisminor league career at age 17. He appeared in three minor league all-star games and won two minor league player of the year awards. In 2010, multiple media outlets named Heyward the top prospect in all of baseball.
Heyward debuted in MLB as Atlanta's starting right fielder onOpening Day 2010. He was named to theNational League (NL)All-Star team that season and finished second in the NLRookie of the Year Award voting. While injuries limited his playing time in 2011 and 2013, Heyward enjoyed a breakout season in 2012; that season, he hit 27 home runs, drove in 82 runs, scored 93 runs, and stole 21 bases. Heyward was traded to the Cardinals after the 2014 season. In December 2015, he signed with the Cubs as a free agent; he was a member of the Cubs' World Series-winning 2016 team. Heyward was released by the Cubs in November 2022 and played for the Dodgers in 2023 and 2024.
Standing 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall and weighing 245 pounds (111 kg), Heyward throws andbats left-handed. He has wornuniform No. 22 through most of his major league career in honor of a high school friend and teammate who died in atraffic collision. Heyward has been widely regarded as one of the best outfield defenders in MLB. He won both theFielding Bible and the NLGold Glove Awards forright fielders in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, and he receivedWilson's MLBDefensive Player of the Year in 2014.
The son ofDartmouth graduates,[1] Jason Heyward was born on August 9, 1989,[2] inRidgewood, New Jersey. His father, Eugene, is fromBeaufort, South Carolina, and his mother, Laura, is from New York City; they met at Dartmouth. Eugene playedbasketball and majored inengineering and Laura studied French.[1] Eugene's uncle,Kenny Washington, playedbasketball for twoJohn Wooden-ledNCAAchampionshipUCLA teams in1964 and1965.[3] Jason has one younger brother, Jacob (b. 1995), who attended theUniversity of Miami and playedbaseball for theHurricanes.[4] Jacob was drafted by theSan Francisco Giants in 2016.[5]
The Heywards moved to theAtlanta metropolitan area soon after he was born. Jason played and showed marked ability inbaseball from an early age. Before he turned 10, he played for a national championship. Eugene helped fuel both of his sons' passion for baseball. He dedicated himself to driving them to everytournament and competition possible in the familyChevrolet Suburban, which racked up hundreds of thousands of miles between the events and his 90-minute work commute to and fromRobins Air Force Base to the south inHouston County.[6]
While his father emphasized that working hard and approaching the game with discipline were important, he also stressed that baseball was to be, above all else, fun. Heyward has maintained this same approach throughout his youth and professional career. One tournament in which he played was the renownedEast Cobb Baseball program, where he was a standout and has produced other major league players.[6] Heyward attendedHenry County High School inMcDonough nearAtlanta. Heyward briefly playedbasketball in his youth but concentrated exclusively on baseball in high school at his father's urging. In February 2010, anAssociated Press reporter learned from a varsity coach that Heyward's early batting practice exploits proved fatal to an oak tree in deep center field at the high school playing field.[1]
Facing off against futureMajor League Baseball (MLB)catcherBuster Posey ofLee County High in the Georgia Class AAAA baseball championship during Heyward's sophomore year, Henry County won two of the best-of-three series. Posey was actually thestarting pitcher in the first game as Henry Country prevailed, 2–1. Heyward hit a game-tying 400 ft (120 m)home run in Game 2 to cap an eight-run comeback, but Lee County prevailed 14–10. The next game, Heyward's three-run single was the game and series winner in a 16–14 outcome.[7] During his junior season, he again helped lead the Henry County High Warhawks to the state championship.[8] As a senior, hebatted .520 with eight home runs (HR) and 29runs batted in (RBIs).[9]
One of Heyward's close friends and teammates from the 2005 AAAA Georgia state championship team, Andrew Wilmot, died in atraffic collision while attending college.[10] Wilmot was acatcher who wore theuniform number 22, the number Heyward would later wear in his major league career to honor him. Wilmot's mother, Tammie Ruston, was Heyward'shigh school literature teacher in his senior year.[11]
Numerous colleges showed interest and recruited Heyward, includingUCLA, which offered a full-ridescholarship due in part to the family connection.[3] Heyward was also especially interested inClemson andGeorgia Tech.[12] Concurrently, the hometownAtlanta Braves had followed and scouted him for years, while attempting to conceal their excitement.[6]
Heyward was the 14th overall selection by Atlanta in the2007 Major League Baseball draft. Despite signing aNational Letter of Intent with UCLA,[12] he chose professionalbaseball over college and signed a contract with the team worth $1.7 million.[9][13]
At age 17, Heyward began his professional career inMinor League Baseball in the Braves' system. He played for both theGulf Coast LeagueBraves and theDanville Braves of theAppalachian League in 2007. He homered in his first professional game.[14] In 12 minor league contests in 2007, he batted .302 with one home run and six RBIs. In 2007,Baseball America selected Heyward as the Braves' top overall prospect and the organization's bestpower hitter; it cited Heyward as having the best strike zone discipline and excelling at multiple other skills.[15]
Heyward split the 2008 season between Single-ARome of theSouth Atlantic League (SAL) and High-AMyrtle Beach of theCarolina League.[16] He was named the club's Player of the Month in April.[17] While playing for Rome, Heyward had 42 multi-hit games, including two four-hit games. He finished in the top three in nine offensive categories for the club.[17]
The Braves promoted Heyward toMyrtle Beach on August 25, 2008. He played seven games there.[17] Following the 2008 season,Baseball America named Heyward the South Atlantic League's Most Outstanding Prospect, Top Batting Prospect, and Most Exciting Player. He was also aBaseball America All-Star for the entire minor leagues, Mid- and Post-Season All-Star, Low-Class A All-Star, and the Braves' second-best prospect.MLB.com named him the third-best overall minor league prospect.ESPN.com named him the minor leagues' best corneroutfield prospect, the #1 Atlanta prospect, and third-overall minor-league prospect.[17]
Heyward started the 2009 season at Myrtle Beach and then gained successive promotions to Double-AMississippi and Triple-AGwinnett. He was named the Carolina League Player of the Week on May 18. Heyward was selected to the Carolina League All-Star team but missed the game due to an oblique injury. He participated in theAll-Star Futures Game atBusch Stadium.[18] On July 4, the Braves promoted Heyward to Mississippi, where he was named the team's Player of the Month. From September 5–7, he appeared with theGwinnett Braves of theTriple-A of theInternational League. He also played four games with thePeoria Saguaros of theArizona Fall League (AFL).[18] That September, bothBaseball America andUSA Today named Heyward their Minor League Player of the Year.[19] He won the Braves' Hank Aaron Award (not to be confused with MLB'sHank Aaron Award), conferred annually to the top offensive player in the Braves organization.[18]
Entering the 2010 season,Baseball America,Keith Law ofESPN.com and Jonathan Mayo ofMLB.com each listed Heyward as baseball's top prospect;[20] BA ranked him ahead ofStephen Strasburg andGiancarlo Stanton.[21] The Braves added Heyward to their 40-manroster before the 2010 season began.[11]
After Heyward made a rapid ascent through the minor leagues, the Braves invited him tospring training in March2010. There, his hitting continued to draw notice; he routinely hit "rockets" all over the field and over the fences, compellingmanagerBobby Cox to make him a regular in the lineup.[10] Cox mentioned that the balls Heyward hit made a different, more pronounced sound than the balls hit by other players.[23] Heyward hit two notable batting practice home runs at theChampion Stadium training complex inLake Buena Vista, Florida. One damaged aCoca-Cola truck in the parking lot, and another broke thesunroof of Atlanta Braves' assistantgeneral manager Bruce Manno's car.[1] He was initially issued uniform number 71. At the end of spring training, he asked for and received number 22, which he wore in memory of his deceased high school teammate, Andrew Wilmot.[10]
Heyward was one of the most anticipated prospects in all of baseball. Shirts depicting hisnickname, "The J-Hey Kid," were in high demand before he even played his first official major league game.Fans andpundits prognosticated on a futureHall of Fame career, comparing Heyward to former greats such asDarryl Strawberry,Willie McCovey andWillie Mays, among many others. In fact, the "J-Hey Kid" nickname was drawn from Mays' nickname, "The Say Hey Kid." On March 26, after Heyward led the club in on-base percentage and slugging percentage in spring training, the Braves named him their startingright fielder.[1]
During hisfirst MLB plate appearance – and on his first swing at an MLB pitch – Heyward hit a three-run home run, estimated at 471 feet (144 m), off of starterCarlos Zambrano.[24] Heyward became the fifth player in Braves history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat and the 11th in franchise history to do so in his MLB debut.[25]
Through Atlanta's first 50 games, Heyward lived up to the hype that surrounded him, hitting 10 home runs while batting .301 with a .421 OBP and .596 slugging percentage.[26] He was named theNational League (NL)Rookie of the Month in both April[27] and May.[28] However, after sustaining a thumb injury while sliding in May, Heyward missed playing time. After he returned later in the season, his performance declined and consistency was elusive.[26] He was selected as a starter for the NLAll-Star team, but did not participate due to his thumb injury.[29]
Heyward stole home in a double steal against theWashington Nationals in the first inning on July 28. In so doing, he became the first Brave to steal home sinceRafael Furcal, who had done so more than ten years earlier.[30] A 16–5 victory over the Cubs on August 22 featured Heyward's first MLB multi-home run game, as well as career highs in hits and runs scored with four each.[31] In the final 112 games of the season, Heyward batted .266 with a .381 OBP and .396 SLG.[26]
Heyward made hispostseason debut on October 7, 2010, in theNational League Division Series (NLDS) against theSan Francisco Giants.[32] San Francisco eliminated Atlanta, and Heyward had just two hits in the entire series.[33]
Heyward finished his first major league season with a .277 batting average, a .393 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, and 83 runs scored in 142 regular season games. He ranked fourth overall in the NL in OBP and walks.[34] Heyward was named theSporting News NLRookie of the Year,[35] theBaseball AmericaMLB Rookie of the Year; he was also named to theBaseball America All-Rookie Team[36] and toTopps'Major League Rookie All-Star Team.[37] He finished second in the voting for the NLRookie of the Year award.[38]
Heyward'ssecond MLB season commenced in a fashion that reprised the high expectations from his rookie season, but injuries ultimately led to a lengthy and dramatic slump. In the spring, Heyward was diagnosed with a degenerative condition in his lower back.[26] He hit a home run off ofNationals pitcherLiván Hernández in his first at-bat of the season on March 31. He became just the second MLB player, afterKazuo Matsui, to homer in his first major league at-bat on Opening Day and to hit a home run in his first at-bat of the following season.[39] In a back-and-forth game with theGiants on April 24, he hit a go-ahead home run offrelief pitcherJeremy Affeldt in a 9–6, ten-inning victory.[40]
Having previously been represented by Victor Menocal from Career Sports Entertainment (CSE) until Menocal resigned from CSE, news emerged on May 6 that Heyward had madeCasey Close his newagent.[41]
From the beginning of spring training, Heyward endured lingering shoulder soreness. After Heyward collected just four hits in his first 41 at-bats in May,[42] the Braves performed amagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan on May 12 which revealed aninflamedrotator cuff, but no structural damage.[43] He rested and received acortisone injection, but aggravated the injury days later during batting practice. The Braves placed him on thedisabled list (DL) on May 22.[42] The following month, teammateChipper Jones publicly criticized Heyward for not playing through his injuries; Jones said, "I think where Jason might have erred was the comment that he made, 'I'm not coming back until it doesn't hurt anymore.' ... What Jason needs to realize is that Jason at 80 percent is a force, and Jason at 80 percent is better than a lot of people in this league".[44] Jones later explained that he reassured Heyward in a phone call that he did not intend to misrepresent Heyward's efforts to rehabilitate.[45]
Upon his return from the DL, Heyward experienced difficulty driving the ball.[46] A sixth-inning home run against theBaltimore Orioles on July 1 was Heyward's first since April 29 against theSt. Louis Cardinals, a span of 104 at-bats.[47] During a game against theChicago Cubs on August 23, Heyward hit his first careergrand slam.[48]
Through the end of August, the Braves were the NLwild card leader. However, the Cardinals overcame a10+1⁄2-game deficit for the wild card position by winning 20 of their final 28 games, eliminating the Braves from the playoffs on the final day of the season. The Braves' failure to make the playoffs was one of the epic late-season collapses in MLB history.[49][50] Heyward's overall performance dropped off from his performance during his rookie season. His batting average dropped 50 points to .227; his other contributions, also in decline, included 14 home runs and 42 RBIs in 128 games.[47]
In an effort to improve his performance, Heyward took extra steps in his preseason preparation. He streamlined his swing to mitigate bad habits incorporated after the shoulder injury. He modified his diet to include morefruits,chicken, andfish. Further, he participated inphysical therapy to strengthen the shoulder and worked for a leaner weight, dropping from 256 pounds (116 kg) to 235 pounds (107 kg).[51] He started the2012 season slowly. However, his bases-loaded double on May 13 offLance Lynn drove in the game-winning run as the Braves triumphed over theCardinals, 7–4.[52]
On June 7, Heyward's first multi-HR game of the season (and the second of his career) helped secure an 8–2 victory over theMarlins.[53] On June 19, he threw theNew York Yankees'Mark Teixeira out athome plate, preserving a 4–3 win.[54] In a 12-game hitting streak that spanned from June 13 to 27, Heyward batted .455 (20-for-44) and homered four times.[55]
After the season, Heyward captured his first career defensive awards: an MLBFielding Bible Award and a National LeagueRawlings Gold Glove Award.[56][57] In 158 games, he batted .269 with career highs of 27 home runs, 82 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases.[55]
On January 18,2013, the Braves avoidedsalary arbitration with Heyward by signing him to a one-year, $3.65 million deal. The Braves' outfield also included newly acquired brothersJustin andB. J. Upton,[58] with whom Heyward would play for the remainder of his Braves tenure. Anappendectomy on April 22 led to Heyward being placed on the 15-day disabled list.[59] He returned from the appendectomy on May 17, going 2-for-4 in an 8–5 win against theDodgers.[59]
New York Mets pitcherJon Niesehit Heyward in the face with a pitch on August 21,fracturing hisjaw in two places.[60] He had surgery, which required the insertion of twoplates, and returned on September 20. Heyward began wearing a protective shield attached to the right side of hisbatting helmet.[61] He struck out and walked in a 9–5 win against theChicago Cubs.[62] Six days later, Heyward set career highs againstPhiladelphia with five hits and four extra-base hits. After two stints on the DL, Heyward appeared in 104 total games, batting .254 with 14 home runs, 38 RBI, and 67 runs scored. The Braves' record was 71–33 in the games in which he appeared.[59]
The Braves bought out Heyward's last arbitration-eligible years on February 4, 2014, agreeing on a two-year, $13.3 million contract.[63] Already rated one of the top defensive outfielders in the league, Heyward significantly improved his coverage in right field during the early part of the season.[64] Two catches on balls hit by starMike Trout – one on a sinking line drive and one on a ball Heyward leaped to catch at the warning track – helped ensure a 7–3 victory over theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim on June 15.[65]
Playing as the Braves' primary leadoff hitter, Heyward played in 149 games and finished with a .271 batting average, 74 runs scored, 11 home runs, 58 RBI and 20 stolen bases.[66] Heyward was the recipient of several awards, including his second of both the Rawlings NL Gold Glove Award and the Fielding Bible Award for all MLB right fielders; he won the latter award unanimously.[67]Wilson Sporting Goods named him their MLB right fieldDefensive Player of the Year and their overall MLB Defensive Player of the Year.[68]
On November 17, 2014, the Braves traded Heyward to theSt. Louis Cardinals along with pitcherJordan Walden for pitchersShelby Miller andTyrell Jenkins to replace their former right fielder and top prospectOscar Taveras, who died in a car accident a month earlier.[69] CardinalsmanagerMike Matheny, who wore uniform #22 and had also done so for most of his playing career, gave his number to Heyward; Heyward wears this number to honor his late friend and teammate Andrew Wilmot.[11]
On April 5, 2015, five years to the day after his MLB debut, Heyward appeared in his first game as a Cardinal. He garnered three hits, including two doubles and a stolen base in a 3–0 victory over theChicago Cubs.[70] Heyward homered in three straight games from June 22 to 24.[71][72] On July 18 against theMets, he matched a career high with five hits in a 12–2 win.[73]
In an August 16 contest against the Marlins, Heyward hit two home runs for his first multi-home run game with the Cardinals.[74] In the second game of adoubleheader against Pittsburgh on September 30, Heyward hit his second career grand slam in an 11–1 win, giving the Cardinals their 100th victory of the season while clinching their third consecutiveNational League Central division title. He also robbed bothFrancisco Cervelli andMichael Morse of hits in that game.[75][76]
Heyward finished the season with a career-high .293 batting average, a .359 on-base percentage, and a .439 slugging percentage.[77] Among all outfielders since 2010, Heyward's 96.2 accumulatedultimate zone rating (UZR) led the major leagues.[78] TheCardinals lost the National League Division Series to the Chicago Cubs, three games to one. After becoming afree agent for the first time in his career,[79] Heyward won his third Fielding Bible Award[80] and his third Gold Glove.[81]
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On December 15, 2015, Heyward signed an eight-year, $184 million contract with theCubs.[82] At the time of Heyward's signing, the contract was the largest player contract that had ever been signed by the Cubs.[83] During his tenure with the Cubs, Heyward's play did not reach the expectations created by his contract.[84][85]
One of Heyward's first acts after signing his contract was to pay for hotel suites large enough to accommodate teammateDavid Ross, his wife, and their three young children on all of the Cubs' road trips during the 2016 season. Ross, set to retire after the 2016 season, had been Heyward's teammate during his first three seasons in Atlanta, and Heyward considered him a key mentor in his early MLB career. In an interview withBleacher Report, Heyward said,
I know how special it is to have teammates like he was my first three years in Atlanta. You don't take it for granted. I wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart, as a teammate and as a friend, for what he's done for me.[86]
Heyward struggled in his first season with the Cubs in 2016, batting only .230 with 7 home runs and 49 RBIs;[34] however, he did win his fourth Gold Glove that season.[87]
In Game Four of the2016 National League Division Series against theSan Francisco Giants, with the Cubs holding a 2–1 series lead, Heyward reached on a bunt force out. He then moved to second on an errant throw and scored the go-ahead run on aJavier Baez single, sending the Cubs to the2016 National League Championship Series.[88]
On October 25, 2016, Heyward, along with teammatesDexter Fowler,Addison Russell, andCarl Edwards Jr., became the first African-Americans to play for the Cubs in aWorld Series game.[89] Heyward was credited with leading an inspiring players-only meeting during a 17-minute rain delay near the end of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.[90] The Cubs eventually won the game 8–7 after 10 innings, which gave the franchise its first World Series championship in 108 years.[91] Heyward hit .104 during the 2016 playoffs.[92] On November 9, Heyward became the first position player in Major League Baseball history to win three straight Gold Glove Awards with three different teams (Braves, Cardinals, and Cubs).[93]
On May 8, 2017, Heyward went on the 10-day disabled list due to a sprained finger he suffered in a game against the Yankees three days prior.[94] In late June, Heyward suffered a left-hand laceration while catching a foul ball in Pittsburgh and was unavailable to play in the next series of games.[95]
Heyward chose "J-Hey" as his nickname for the Players Weekend during the 2017 season.[96] For the season, Heyward hit .259 with 11 home runs and 59 RBIs.[34]
On May 8, 2018, Heyward again went on the disabled list due to concussion protocols after attempting a game-saving catch of a home run by William Fowler in the 14th inning.[97] On June 6, Heyward hit a walk-off grand slam home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Cubs a 7–5 win over thePhiladelphia Phillies.[98] At the All-Star break, Heyward had a .285 batting average with 78 hits in 274 plate appearances with six home runs and 41 RBIs, a .344 OBP and a .431 SLG.[99] Heyward ended the season with a .270 batting average, eight home runs, and 57 RBIs.[34]
Heyward had a quality start to the season. He hit two home runs and stole two bases against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 6, becoming only the 18th player—and first Cub—to have a multi-homer, multi-steal game since 1901.[100] It was also his first multi-homer game as a Cub. On April 24, he hit a dramatic three-run home run late in the game to regain the lead in a 7–6 victory against theLos Angeles Dodgers. On May 8, Heyward hit a walk-off, solo home run against theMiami Marlins in the 11th inning, giving the Cubs a 3–2 win.[101] This was Heyward's third walk-off hit and second walk-off home run as a Cub. With that hit, he snapped a 1-for-20 slump.[102] For the season, Heyward hit .251 with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs.[34]
In thepandemic-shortened 2020 season, Heyward batted .265/.392/.456 with six home runs and 22 RBIs in 50 games.[103]
In 2021, Heyward slashed .214/.280/.347 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 104 games.[104]
On May 8, 2022, Heyward was placed on the injured list with a left quadriceps strain. He returned to the IL in late June.[105][106] He remained on the injured list through August. In August, Cubs general managerJed Hoyer stated that the team would release Heyward at the end of the season.[107][108] In 48 games for the Cubs, Heyward batted .204/.278/.277 with one home run and 10 RBI. He was officially released by Chicago on November 14, 2022,[109] despite the fact that the Cubs still owed him a salary of $22 million for the 2023 season.[110][85]
During his seven-year stint with the Cubs, Heyward batted .245,[111] hitting 62 home runs in 2,522 plate appearances.[112] In December 2022,The Sporting News included Heyward's eight-year, $184 million contract with the Cubs on its list of the top 15 worst MLB free-agent contracts of all time.[113]
On December 8, 2022, Heyward signed a minor league contract with theLos Angeles Dodgers that included an invitation to major league spring training.[114] He made the Dodgers' Opening Day roster,[115] reworked his swing,[116] accepted a platoon role,[117] and enjoyed a resurgent season.[118][119] Heyward played in 124 games, batting .269 with 15 homers and 40 RBI.[34] Following the season, Heyward received the Roy Campanella Award, an award that is given by Dodgers players and coaches to the most inspirational Dodger on the team.[116]
On December 6, 2023, Heyward signed a one-year, $9 million contract to return to the Dodgers.[120] In 63 games for them in 2024, he batted .208 with six home runs and 28 RBI.[34] He wasdesignated for assignment on August 22, two days after he hit a pinch-hit go-ahead three-run home run in his final at-bat for the Dodgers.[121][122] The Dodgers released him on August 26.[123]
On August 29, 2024, Heyward signed a one-year, major league contract with theHouston Astros.[124] During his debut as an Astro, Heyward hit a key two-run double that spearheaded a 6–3 win versus theKansas City Royals.[125]
On September 24, 2024, the Astros clinched their fourth straightAmerican League (AL) West Division title with a 4–3 win over theSeattle Mariners. Heyward made a jumping catch into the scoreboard to take away a hit in the top of the fifth inning and hit a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning to give the Astros a lead they would not relinquish.[126] As a member of the Astros, Heyward appeared in 24 games, batting .218/.283/.473 in 61 plate appearances, 2 doubles, 4 home runs, 9 RBI, and 1 stolen base. He played 16 games in right field, 8 in left field, and 2 in center field. Heyward appeared in both games of, and was 0-for-3 in, theAmerican League Wild Card Series (ALWCS), which was swept by theDetroit Tigers.[34] Following the season, he elected free agency.[127]
On February 11, 2025, Heyward signed a one-year, $1 million contract with theSan Diego Padres.[128] In 34 appearances for the Padres, he batted .176/.223/.271 with two home runs and 12 RBI. On June 21, Heyward wasdesignated for assignment by San Diego.[129] He was released by the team on June 24.[130]
| Award/Honor | # of Times | Dates | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Leagues | |||
| Baseball AmericaMajor League Rookie of the Year | 1 | 2010 | [36] |
| Fielding Bible Award at right field | 3 | 2012, 2014, 2015 | [56][67][80] |
| Major League Baseball All-Star | 1 | 2010 | [29] |
| National LeaguePlayer of the Week | 1 | June 24, 2012 | [131] |
| National LeagueRawlings Gold Glove atright field | 5 | 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016. 2017 | [56][67][81] |
| National LeagueRookie of the Month | 2 | April & May 2010 | [27][28] |
| Sporting News National LeagueRookie of the Year | 1 | 2010 | [35] |
| Wilson MLBDefensive Player of the Year at right field | 1 | 2014 | [132] |
| Wilson MLB Overall Defensive Player of the Year | 1 | 2014 | [132] |
| Minor Leagues | |||
| Baseball AmericaAtlanta Braves Organization Best Tools: Best Defensive OF | 1 | 2009 | [133] |
| Baseball America Atlanta Braves Organization Best Tools: Best Hitter for Average | 2 | 2008–09 | [133] |
| Baseball America Atlanta Braves Organization Best Tools: Best OF Arm | 1 | 2009 | [133] |
| Baseball AmericaAtlanta Braves Organization Best Tools: Best Power | 1 | 2007 | [133] |
| Baseball America Atlanta Braves Organization Best Tools: Best Strike Zone Discipline | 3 | 2007–09 | [133] |
| Baseball AmericaMinor League Player of the Year | 1 | 2009 | [19] |
| Carolina League Player of the Week | 1 | May 18, 2009 | [18] |
| Major League BaseballAll-Star Futures Game | 1 | 2009 | [18] |
| Minor League Baseball All-Star | 3 | 2008South Atlantic League mid-season 2008 South Atlantic League post-season 2009 Carolina League | [17][18] |
| South Atlantic League Most Outstanding Major League Prospect | 1 | 2008 | [17] |
| USA TodayMinor League Player of the Year | 1 | 2009 | [19] |
In September 2012,Piedmont Henry Hospital inStockbridge, Georgia, selected Heyward as one of ten representatives for their Real Men Wear Pink campaign againstbreast cancer. He stated at the time that one of his grandmothers was battling the condition but had improved and that her battle was an inspiration for him to participate.[134]
Heyward's brother,Jacob, is a coach in theSan Francisco Giants organization.[135] Jacob Heyward was drafted by theAtlanta Braves out of high school in the2013 MLB draft and by the Giants in the2016 MLB draft.[136][137]
He is married to Vedrana.[138][139] Their son was born in March 2022.[140] They own a $5.9 million mansion in theGold Coast neighborhood of Chicago.[141]
| Preceded by | Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year 2010 | Succeeded by |
