Its not that he cant hit the ball out to all fields, but his career-best homer rate is to the pull side. I cant wait to see how this turns out. With the injury to Gavin Lux, Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor will see time at shortstop while Jason Heyward and Trayce Thompson will play in center field. Bill James Even with the extra outside swings, pop ups and grounders, Heyward was likely the victim of some bad bounces. All of this he managed while only stealing 21 bases. Averaging out to a league average player for a total of ten years is a decent feat. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. Attempting to measure defense with advanced statistics like UZR and DRS has its critics, and attempting to place a value on it can be difficult. Yeah, if continued this would make him shiftable. Adding in 23 steals on 26 attempts and the rest of his baserunning, Heywards 22 runs above average on offense placed him within the top quarter of qualified hitters. Jason Heyward is Coming Around | RotoGraphs Fantasy Baseball Last season, Oviedos fastball had five fewer inches of rise or more sink than four-seam fastballs at similar velocities. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. Every other player produced at an incredibly high level from age 26 to age 35, maintaining their hitting line from 26 to 35 that they had in their early 20s. FanGraphs gives fans, front offices a look at the sport's evolution I was like, I really just want to see a strike, Heaney said. That search reveals the following players. Jacoby Ellsbury just finished Year Two of his contract. Thats just how it goes. Jason Heyward. Manager Dave Roberts indicated Taylor would spend 20 to 25 percent of the games there, in addition to his usual work in the outfield. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward had glowing praise for manager Dave Roberts, whom he calls a "baseball rat" who loves being around the game. Its impossible for anyone outside of the Braves training room and front office to assess Heywards health. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. Thats been fairly consistent. Heyward will get paid. It was a true comfort level, not rattled at all. All Win Expectancy, Leverage Index, Run Expectancy, and Fans Scouting Report data licenced from TangoTiger.com. All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. According to FanGraphs, the 26-year-old was worth 6.0 fWAR (FanGraphs' Wins Above Replacement) in '15the sixth most WAR among outfielders. Whether he finds a home with Cleveland certainly wont depend on whether Quinn can maintain his power output. Well know whats up by the beginning of May. Heyward improved slightly in the years to come but still struggled to get back to the form he showed prior to coming to Chicago. Roberts described Jason Heyward, the former Cub who came to Dodgers camp as a non-roster invite, as more than adequate in the field at center. FOX Sports - Rowan Kavner 1d. Drafted: 2007 June Amateur Draft - Round: 1, Pick: 14, Overall: 14, Team: Atlanta Braves. All Win Expectancy, Leverage Index, Run Expectancy, and Fans Scouting Report data licenced from TangoTiger.com. But theres real doubt about his ability to deliver even 15 home runs or produce high amounts of runs and RBIs in that lineup, regardless of where he hits. Jason Heyward Reality Check | FanGraphs Membership Heres a bomb to right-center. When we know nothing else about Jason Heyward except the way he hits singles, doubles, triples, home runs and walks without regard for his offensive contributions on the basepaths or his defense, his comps would be worth $159 million. Ive pulled some images from Baseball Savant. Depending on ones point of view, it was an effort that was either an improvement in his development as a still-young hitter or a disturbing blight on his future value. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted Reported as the pre-2023 season number of waiver options remaining. With an acknowledgment to the variance in sample size, we can compare the pitch locations of his 2014 against his first four big league seasons: As you might have guessed, thats bad news for Heyward, who, like many left-handed hitters, does his best work when hes able to feast on balls down and in. To me, that looks light, and as a huge Heyward fan I am doing my best in putting that out there without bias. This group also aged incredibly well. I was just saying the other day that there hasnt been a free agent whos so valuable in this particular waya combination of very good performance and youthsince A-Rod in 2000. All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. I looked through age 25, but lacking enough comps, expanded the age range to 26 years old. The pre-season #1 prospect, whose legend grew with each car he dented while going deep in spring training, batted .277/.393/.456. All Win Expectancy, Leverage Index, Run Expectancy, and Fans Scouting Report data licenced from TangoTiger.com. The Cubs released Heyward. Updated: Saturday, March 4, 2023 4:51 PM ET, Park Factors Dropping down Heywards offense by 20 runs still yields no other results. Contact David at david.golebiewski@gmail.com and check out his work at Journalist For Hire. Making Too Much of Too Little Jason Heyward | FanGraphs Baseball All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. The grounders are just about all pulled. Massive crying face emoji. Heywards small sample of air balls also supports this. Contact David at david.golebiewski@gmail.com and check out his work at Journalist For Hire. It doesnt matter that Heyward has still been productive; he looks like he should be a beast of a hitter, so its odd to see him hit singles and doubles. All Win Expectancy, Leverage Index, Run Expectancy, and Fans Scouting Report data licenced from TangoTiger.com. Our premise is that their bad (or But as long as were just having fun here, consider a few numbers. Cubs To Release Jason Heyward At End Of Season Aggravating as it might be, we dont know the answers to those questions. Heyward does need to keep the ball of the grass and pare down the pop ups to truly tap into his power, but its important to remember that hes still younger than many celebrated rookies and prospects. All Win Expectancy, Leverage Index, Run Expectancy, and Fans Scouting Report data licenced from TangoTiger.com. He hit 27 home runs in 2012, but recorded just 13 of them this year along with an isolated slugging percentage of .146, essentially league average. Reported as the pre-2023 season number of waiver options remaining. Jason Heyward Stats, Fantasy & News | MiLB.com Im not going to worry about it.. Consequently, his walk rate has dropped from 14.6 percent to 11.1 percent. Heywards main drawback, perhaps only drawback, as a player seeking more than $100 million is his lack of power. The Yankees finished second in the majors and first in the American League in 2022 with 4.98 runs scored per game. Prior to the . Apparently the Dodgers will do anything to keep James Outman on the farm. Where does all this leave the J-Hey Kid? . Jason Heyward does not owe Cardinals' fans a thing Using FanGraphs approximate current cost of a win at $8 million, the numbers are even bigger. Composite Dodgers 2023 team prospect rankings Meanwhile, the team is likely stuck with big contracts for the likes of B.J. Im not all that mad about it. But the power was largely absent. Depending how long Rodgers is out of the lineup and whether the Rockies want to let him continue his preparation into the early days of the regular season someone has to play second. While hes never going to be a big stolen base threat, hes a quality athlete for a power forward-sized corner outfielder. FanGraphs' Roster Resource has Adrian Sampson in the fifth spot in the rotation, but he has the ability to function as a long reliever/sixth starter if need be. Double-digit steals is a nice perk for a guy with potentially elite OBP and power numbers. Mark Kotsay did not do well overall, but he was actually averaging around three wins per season from 26 to 30 before having a negative value as his career wound down. . Contracts matter Miller is entering his first year of arbitration while Heyward is now a FA. Kiner-Falefa was a defensive whiz with 10 Defensive Runs saved in 2022, helping result in the lowest runs allowed per game in the Bronx since 1981. Keep looking at him, and also keep looking at his numbers, as the season begins and wears on. Interestingly, although Heyward swung less frequently than in any season since his 2010 debut, he finished with a 10.3% walk rate thats below his career average and set a new personal low for pitches per plate appearance. One spring of spring-training data. Using the players from the chart above, here is how those players played from age 26 through age 30, the first five years of a potential Jason Heyward contract. Major League Leaderboards 2015 Outfielders Fielding Statistics His BABIP this season is .256, while his expected BABIP sits around .315. and play-by-play data provided by Sports Info Solutions. And he continued to hit far too many ground balls (nearly 54 percent of the time he put it in play), limiting his power output (.162 ISO). Theres very little fly-ball action in left field. Updated: Saturday, March 4, 2023 4:51 PM ET, Park Factors That should tell you all you need to know about the Blue Jays plans for their fourth outfield spot, and this assignment is something he plans to grab with both hands. Instead, Heywards dinger deficiency has been the byproduct of some ominous declines: Whats changed? SUMMARY Some call it a sweeper. While Heyward is a solid offensive player, he does get a decent portion of his value from defense, which causes some concern about how Heywards value will sustain itself as he ages. Contract: 8 yr, $184M (2016-23) AAV: $23.0M. Roberts described Jason Heyward, the former Cub who came to Dodgers camp as a non-roster invite, as "more than adequate" in the field at center. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, As in the case of the first table, we again see some of the greatest baseball players. The Pirates suggested that Oviedo begin throwing a sinker because his four-seam fastball naturally sinks. 2022 Updated In-Season Projections Ultimate Foul Balls - Jason Heyward - Ottoneu Fantasy Baseball Whatever the name, it might become a problem for them. As such, its hard to decide what to make of Heywards 2014 season, in which he finished 34th among outfielders in Zach Sanders rankings, as he made strides as a contact hitter while taking a step back in the power department. Players are always free to change their minds about anything. For the first method, we assume the only information we know is age, WAR, and total number of plate appearances. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. Which can be overcome, but only by also hitting fewer grounders. De Paula hit .350/.448/.522 with 13 doubles, five home runs, and two triples in 53 games in the Dominican Summer League in his professional debut, and the power was intriguing enough that FanGraphs wasn't alone on an island. While the $330 million figure is likely the one that jumps out, I would direct your attention to the smallest number: $159 million. Heyward, a .211-hitter in 2021 and 2022, made significant swing changes over the winter. Greatest Careers Through Age 25 Since World War II, Jason Heyward WAR Comps, Age 26 to Age 30, Jason Heyward WAR Comps, Age 26 to Age 35, Jason Heyward Offense-Only Comps Through Age 25, Jason Heyward Offense-Only Comps, Age 26 Through Age 35, Jason Heyward Defense-Only Comps Through Age 26, Jason Heyward Defense-Only Comps, Age 26 Through Age 35. Using a similar exercise, I found only 28 players with at least 25 fWAR and bWAR (FanGraphs WAR and Baseball Reference WAR, respectively) since the end of World War II. by Retrosheet. 12 years and 0 . Just ask Jason Heyward. FanSided 1 day Jason Heyward . Their average WAR is below. Jason Heyward, who was instrumental in the lore of the infamous Game 7 rain delay, was once the thorn in the side of fans looking for a scapegoat to blame for the club's lack of spending. No matter which group you look at, he is likely to be a productive player at age 30. Heyward, a .211-hitter in 2021 and 2022, made significant swing changes over the winter. Jason Heyward - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball fangraphs.com 1d. Games. The numbers may seem outrageous, but MLB revenues have been rising at very high rates, and there is so rarely a player of Heywards caliber and age that the market will likely have a difficult time finding a consensus. Updated: Saturday, March 4, 2023 4:51 PM ET, Park Factors Heres a bomb to right. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, Heyward was coming off a rookie season in which he popped 18 home runs and batted .277/.393/.456 at age 20, tying him with Ty Cobb for the 15th best OPS+ ever for a hitter who qualified for the batting title but couldnt legally buy a beer. by Handedness, Trying to Put a Value on Jason Heyward in Free Agency, Effectively Wild Episode 761: An Offseason Friday Gallimaufry, The Best of FanGraphs: November 2-6, 2015. The way hitters hit the ball is a reflection of the swing and the approach, and so look at what you see above. He looked like a pitcher.. With the exception of ZiPS, the projection systems (and the fans) see Heyward as more of a .270 hitter with a high OBP and 20-homer power in 2012: ZiPS: .255/.360/.427, 17 HR Even with a bum shoulder, Heyward has managed to draw a decent amount of walks and hit for some power. All Win Expectancy, Leverage Index, Run Expectancy, and Fans Scouting Report data licenced from TangoTiger.com. Heres a powerful triple to center. Cubs Plan to Release Jason Heyward From Final Year of Deal The names brought up most recently with regard to Heyward are Jacoby Ellsbury, who got seven years and $153 million from the New York Yankees two years ago, and Carl Crawford, who received seven years and $142 million from the Boston Red Sox five years ago. These comparable players here are not quite as accomplished as those from the WAR group above, which is to be expected given defense is not taken into account. by Handedness, 2007 June Amateur Draft - Round: 1, Pick: 14, Overall: 14, Team: Atlanta Braves. Efficiency. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted and play-by-play data provided by Sports Info Solutions. Since Heyward is also the tallest of the four young outfielders at six-foot-five, we have reason to be worried about how long this can hold up for him. Matt Carpenter was the reverse. Potential Dodgers shortstop options after Gavin Lux's ACL Injury In 2022, Heyward will earn a base salary of $22,000,000, with a total salary of $24,500,000. The chart below shows the varying WAR averages from above for Jason Heyward comps at age-26 through age-30, as well as 26-35. With Taylor refocusing on the infield, Roberts suggested he would be less likely to fill the void at center field. The games, as you well know, havent mattered yet. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, From 2017 to 2019, he hit .260/.335/.406 for a 96 wRC+ He seemed. Similarly, if you focus on Heywards triple crown numbers .269 with 27 home runs and 82 RBI youd be missing all that extra value he added in other facets of the game. Heyward managed to nab nine bases in 11 tries last year, and Bill James projects hell have 14 SB in 2012. Hows it going to go? Advanced fielding statistics Ultimate Zone Rating (. . Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted Searching again for players from 1960 to 2007, limiting those players through age-25 within 20% of Heywards PAs, but instead of using WAR, look at players with a wRC+ between 110 and 125 and within 15 points of Heywards 121 wRC+ at age 25. Reported as the pre-2023 season number of waiver options remaining. Taylor may also appear at third base in Cactus League games. A year ago, Jason Heyward was a fantasy baseball stud muffin. The Royals, Billy Butler, and Young Pitching. Los Angeles Dodgers: 2023 Season Prediction - MyBookie What's With Jason Heyward? | RotoGraphs Fantasy Baseball Examining The Cubs' Fifth Starter Options from MLBTradeRumors.com at 2/22/2023 4:39:00 AM. How much will he be worth? When Heyward is Ellsburys age, he will have just finished Year Six, or might have already opted out for another big contract. Gift a Membership. 2022 600 PA / 200 IP Projections Steamer600. On Friday, the Cubs won the bidding for Jason Heyward, convincing the outfielder to come to Chicago despite offers for more guaranteed money from the Nationals, the Cardinals, and reportedly. Support FanGraphs. Jordan Walker has a 28.5 ft/s Sprint Speed, good for an 80% percentile red lollipop once he gets a Savant slider. Heyward remains a tempting upside guy on draft day, but its hard to bid on him too far beyond the price tag of a No. Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Prediction: Road to the MLB 2023 Season. Heyward is coming off his age-21 season, having just turned 22 this past August. I then looked at age-25 performance and eliminated anyone who was not within two wins of Heywards six-win season this year. His average ranking is 7.5. Chicago Cubs. The shift movement had already produced some . All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. Sadly, the only skill that Heyward hasnt displayed during his bright, brief career is health. Now, they are tasked with turning things around this year, in what should be a competitive National League once again. To bring this all back: There are very early signs that Jason Heyward is focusing more on the pull half of the field. 5 seed Indiana State Sycamores (22-11, 13-7 MVC) in the MVC Tournament Saturday at Enterprise Center, beginning at 3:30 PM on CBS Sports Network. As was the case with the offensive player-comps group, Heyward is more accomplished than almost all of the players on this list. Ronald Guzmnex-first baseman for the Texas Rangers, is pumping out 97-98 fastballs. Very obviously, he can sting a ball when he gets extended. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. It took the Dodgers six games into their Cactus League schedule, but they finally achieved the ultimate spring . Heywards .113 ISO was no less than 71 points below his career mark entering this year, he slugged just .384 and notched only 58 RBIs, despite making about one-third of his plate appearances as the fifth hitter in the Braves order. According to Fangraphs, during his first six seasons, Jason Heyward was "worth" $198.1 million. Unfortunately, for studying purposes anyway, there simply are not enough of those types of players to look at. FanGraphs Membership. His 23 percent infield/fly ball rate is third-highest in the majors, trailing only Corey Patterson and Mark Trumbo. Now, increasingly deprived of opportunities to pull pitches, Heyward in recent years has been going the other way more often, and 2014 saw more than 19% of his plate appearances end with him hitting the ball to the opposite field, a new career high, and a credible explanation for the plunge in distance and home runs.