| Jonah Heim | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Heim with theTexas Rangers in 2024 | |
| Texas Rangers – No. 28 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: (1995-06-27)June 27, 1995 (age 29) Buffalo, New York, U.S. | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 25, 2020, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics (through August 25, 2024) | |
| Batting average | .231 |
| Home runs | 55 |
| Runs batted in | 230 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Jonah Nathan Heim (born June 27, 1995) is an American professionalbaseballcatcher for theTexas Rangers ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for theOakland Athletics.
Born inBuffalo, New York, Heim attendedAmherst Central High School, where the cold weather limited how often he played outdoors. TheBaltimore Orioles selected him in the fourth round of the2013 MLB Draft, and he took several years to develop his offensive abilities in the Orioles'farm system. Heim was traded twice in the minor leagues, first to theTampa Bay Rays and then to Oakland, where he made his MLB debut in 2020. The following year, the Athletics traded Heim to Texas, where he became the Rangers' starting catcher and went on to represent the team at the2023 MLB All-Star Game.
Jonah Nathan Heim was born June 27, 1995, inBuffalo, New York.[1] A childhood fan of theNew York Yankees ofMajor League Baseball (MLB), Heim's favorite players werecatchers likeJorge Posada andRussell Martin,[2] and he grew up watching theBuffalo Bisons, theToronto Blue Jays'Triple-A affiliate, although they were part of theCleveland Guardians organization at the time, play atSahlen Field.[3] Heim began playing baseball when he was two years old, and around the age of 12, he took upswitch hitting, telling his father, "hitting from the right side is boring".[4]
Heim attendedKenmore East High School for one year before his parents moved out of the school district, requiring him to transfer toAmherst Central High School.[5] The harsh climate in Buffalo meant that Heim could only play 20 outdoor baseball games in a season, and the team's stadium lacked anoutfield wall, sohome runs landed in nearby backyards or soccer fields.[6] Afterbatting .470 andpicking off 12 baserunners during hisjunior year of high school, Heim was invited to play in several nationalexhibition games, where he caught the attention of professionalscouts andcollege recruiters.[5] Amherstretired Heim's No. 6 jersey shortly after his 2013 graduation.[7]
TheBaltimore Orioles selected Heim out of high school in the fourth round, 129th overall, of the2013 MLB Draft.[8] At the time, Heim had committed to playingcollege baseball with theMichigan State Spartans, but he turned down the commitment and joined the Orioles on a $389,700signing bonus.[9] After signing, Heim was assigned to theRookie-levelGCL Orioles of theGulf Coast League. He struggled in his rookie season, batting .185 with fourruns batted in (RBI) in 27 games.[10] Heim's poor hitting continued in the 2014 season, but Baltimore hitting coachJeff Manto was unconcerned with the catcher's development, attributing it in part to his limited playing time in high school.[11] Heim split the season between the GCL Orioles and theAberdeen IronBirds of theLow–ANew York–Penn League, batting .196 with one home run and seven RBI in 46 games.[12]
Heim began the 2015 season with theDelmarva Shorebirds of theSingle–ASouth Atlantic League, where he split time at catcher with Alex Murphy.[13] He improved offensively to start the season, batting .258 with 10extra-base hits and 16 RBI in 36 games before going on theinjured list with a foot injury in May.[14] He did not begin a rehab assignment until the end of August and returned to Delmarva on September 1.[15][16] Heim finished the season batting .252 with one home run and 18 RBI in 45 minor league games.[12] The Orioles promoted Heim to theFrederick Keys for the 2016 season,[17] where he was named aCarolina League All-Star.[18] Although he had a lifetime .216 batting average in 88 games for the Orioles organization,[19] Heim cited his time in Frederick as a turning point for his offensive development.[20]
On August 1, 2016, the Orioles traded Heim to theTampa Bay Rays in exchange for veteran utility playerSteve Pearce.[21] From there, he was assigned to theHigh–ACharlotte Stone Crabs, where he recorded the game-winning RBI in hisFlorida State League debut.[22] Between Frederick and Charlotte, Heim batted .217 in 2016, with eight home runs and 33 RBI in 102 games.[12] Heim opened the 2017 season with the Low–ABowling Green Hot Rods, where he batted .268 with nine home runs and 53 RBI in 77 games before being promoted back to the Stone Crabs in August.[23] There, he added an additional eight RBI on the season while batting .218 in 16 games.[12]
Heim was traded to theOakland Athletics on December 19, 2017, as theplayer to be named later to complete a trade forJoey Wendle.[24] He spent 2018 with both the High–AStockton Ports and the Double–AMidland RockHounds, batting .258 with eight home runs and sixty RBIs in 119 total games between both teams.[25] He split the 2019 season between Midland and the Triple–ALas Vegas Aviators, hitting a combined .310/.385/.477/.862 with nine home runs and 53 RBIs.[26] On November 1, 2019, Heim was added to the Athletics'40-man roster.[27]
On June 30, 2020,Minor League Baseball canceled the 2020 season due to theeffects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[28] As a result, Heim was one of several Athletics prospects who began the pandemic-shortened season at an alternate training site as a member of the Oaklandtaxi squad.[29] While not participating in games, he spent the first part of the season working with MLB pitchers duringbullpen sessions andbatting practice.[30] On August 24, the Athleticsoptioned backup catcherAustin Allen and promoted Heim to the active roster in his place.[31] Heim made his major league debut the next day, starting behind the plate in Oakland's 10–3 win over theTexas Rangers. In the seventh inning, Heim recorded his first MLB hit with a single off of Texas pitcherKyle Gibson.[32] Heim spent the remainder of the season as a backup forSean Murphy. He appeared in 13 regular season games, all but one of which he started at catcher.[33] In that time, he batted .211 with no extra-base hits and five RBI.[34] Heim was named to the Athletics' postseason roster,[35] but he did not appear in any playoff games for Oakland.[33] After defeating theChicago White Sox in the2020 American League Wild Card Series,[36] Oakland was eliminated by theHouston Astros in the2020 American League Division Series (ALDS).[37] After the MLB season, Heim planned to rejoin the Toros del Este for the 2020–21 Dominican Winter League season, but he recanted due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.[38]
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On February 6, 2021, Heim,Khris Davis, andDane Acker were traded to theTexas Rangers in exchange forElvis Andrus andAramis Garcia.[39] Heim hit his first major league home run on April 6, 2021, offToronto Blue Jays pitcherTommy Milone.[40] On July 31, Heim hit home runs from each side of the plate, including his first career walk-off home run, offSeattle Mariners pitcherDiego Castillo.[41] On August 1, he hit another walk-off home run versus Seattle to become the first player in Texas Rangers history, and the first rookie in MLB history, to record walk-off home runs in two straight games.[42] Uniquely, in July 2021, the Rangers played theToronto Blue Jays in Heim's hometown ofBuffalo, New York due to the Blue Jays' temporary relocation toSahlen Field as a result of not being able to play at theRogers Centre during the pandemic, resulting in Heim getting the opportunity to play a major-league series in front of a hometown crowd. Heim went 2-for-7 in the two games he played, while the Rangers were swept by the Blue Jays.[43] Over 82 games in 2021, Heim hit .196/.239/.358/.598 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs.[44]
Heim hit his first major league grand slam on April 14, 2022, againstLos Angeles Angels pitcherShohei Ohtani in a 10–5 Rangers win; it was the first and to date, only grand slam Ohtani has given up in his major league career.[45] Heim appeared in 127 games for Texas in 2022, in which he hit .227/.298/.399/.697 with 16 home runs and 48 RBIs.[46]
Heim was voted in as theAmerican League starting catcher for the2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[47] He went on theinjured list with a sprained tendon in his wrist on July 28.[48] Over 131 games for Texas in 2023, Heim hit .258/.317/.438/.755 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI. Heim and Texas won the2023 World Series.[49] Heim won theAmerican LeagueGold Glove Award for catcher in 2023, the first of his career.[50]
Heim now has three children with his wife Mackenzie. Their son Nash was born in January 2021,[3] their daughter Luxx was born in April 2022, their son Champ was born in June 2024.[51] He has a tattoo of the Buffalo skyline on his arm.[52]