Don’t Let The Numbers Fool You, Jason Heyward Can Be Productive At The Plate
It doesn’t seem too long ago when Jayson Heyward made his MLB debut and was one of the most exciting players in baseball. Time sure does fly by, that was 11 years ago and now Heyward is an experienced, veteran in the league.
Heyward has had success throughout his MLB career and is currently playing on his third team, the Chicago Cubs.
He won his first and only World Series in 2016 with the Cubs and has become a vocal leader on the team.
At the plate, Heyward showcases a silky smooth and quick swing, and possesses a lot of power. Regardless of his plate fluctuations, Heyward is always lit with the web.
If someone who’s a fan of baseball saw Heyward play for the first time this season, they might think that Heyward has not had much success.
There’s no question that he’s struggled at the plate, hitting .187. But recently, his bat has come alive. So please don’t do too much worrying about Heyward’s offensive performance.
On May 17, Heyward had his best offensive showing of the season, going 2-for-4 at the plate with 3 RBI and a home run.
That’s the performance Cubs fans have wanted to see for a while.
He recently was on a three-game hitting streak and during that stretch had four hits in 12 at-bats.
In April, he came in clutch off the bench, hitting a walk-off single against the New York Mets. Heyward isn’t the everyday starter like he was early in his career, but he does see his fair share on the field.
When Heyward first joined the Cubs in 2016, his numbers dropped noticeably. During that season, he batted .230 and hit only seven home runs.
That’s after hitting a career-high .293 the previous season with the St. Louis Cardinals.
He knew something needed to change at the plate and he did not want to waste anytime.
In a 2017 article from SI.com, former Cubs’ hitting coach John Mallee talked about Heyward’s work ethic after struggling in 2016.
“He may be better than (he ever) was,” Mallee said. “I’m very happy for him. His mind is in the right place. He has done a lot of mental stuff. It’s really special what he has put into this.”
Heyward also talked about the adjustments he made in the article.
“I’m able to be more balanced. I’m able to get more good swings off because I’m at the right spot at the right time,” Heyward said. “I’m not taking my hands behind my head, wrapping. When you wrap, with your first move to get the bat head out, you have to go around.
“As a hitter, you don’t want to do that. You want to stay right down the line. And when you stay down the line, you give yourself more room for error.”
Now keep in mind this was almost four years ago and since then, his numbers at the plate are better than his first season in Chicago.
The New Jersey native started his career with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 and finished his first year batting .277 and hitting 17 home runs.
It wasn’t long for our MLB bro to make a name for himself in the league and he quickly became a fan favorite in Atlanta.
During his time in Atlanta, he made the All-Star team and won multiple Gold Glove awards.
Even though Heyward isn’t having the success he had early on in his career, he still is a valuable asset to the lineup, whether he’s in the field or at the plate.
Look for Heyward to have some clutch at-bats this season. He’s a true professional.
