Brave New World

Every new baseball season brings with it a fresh crop of talented kids looking to make a splash in The Show. More often than not the hype around some of these young prospects is just that: hype. It's not easy to make the jump from one minor league level to the next, and even tougher to clear that final hurdle to the majors. You'll often hear about players being sent back down to the farm "for more seasoning" before being installed on the 25-man roster. Oftentimes, the player really does need more experience. Other times, it's simply a case of the franchise seeking to delay the start of the clock on a player's big-league service time (see Strasburg, Stephen), thereby delaying when said player becomes arbitration-eligible, and by extension, eligible for free agency.

But while the Nationals have chosen to put off the countdown on their pitching phenom (the aforementioned Strasburg) the Braves could no longer delay the inevitable with their Next Big Thing. Anyone who has witnessed mammoth right fielder/tight end/power forward Jason Heyward and his frightening display of power and plate discipline this spring knows he's big-league ready. Apparently the Braves agree.

This morning, Atlanta skipper Bobby Cox confirmed one of the Grapefruit League's worst-kept secrets: Heyward will be on the Opening Day roster. He will be their starting right fielder. My guess is that the Braves won't need to use any options on this guy in the future; he's in Hotlanta to stay.

Heyward's legend has grown this spring and he is drawing comparisons to several greats, including but not limited to Albert Pujols, Darryl Strawberry, Fred McGriff, and Dave Parker. However, the most apt comparison I have heard is the likeness to Willie McCovey...you know, the Hall of Famer with 521 career home runs and 1,555 RBI. Yeah, I know, that's a lofty comparison, but Heyward's jaw-dropping raw ability has sparked all kinds of accolades this spring from some highly respected and reputable sources. You've probably heard some of the stories about him damaging cars in the parking lots beyond the outfield fences, or how players, coaches, and fans alike stop what they are doing and just watch when it's time for his turn in the batting cage. Or how the ball makes that unique sound when it comes off his bat...that indescribable sound that only special hitters with Ruthian power are able to produce.

Below are some of the better Heyward links so far this spring:

From MLB.com.
From the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.
From The New York Times.
From The USA Today.

There are more legendary depictions of his powers where these came from, but you get the picture. Heyward's average draft position in fantasy leagues for much of the spring has been somewhere north of 200. However, it has been moving upward at a pretty good pace, spiking into the 150-to-200 range in re-draft leagues and, of course, much higher in dynasty and keeper formats. You can bet that today's confirmation that he will be their starting right fielder will move the needle on his draft position quite a bit...enough that even Ron Burgundy might again quip, "That escalated quickly!"