Getty Images
There was a time when New York Yankees’ outfielder Slade Heathcott was one of the more exciting prospects in the game. Then the injuries happened. And happened. And happened. From 2009 to 2013 he appeared in more than 75 games just twice, in 2010 with 76 and 2013 with 103. In seven seasons he has played in just 322 games and lost much of his prospect shine. This year, however, he is reasserting himself as one of the team’s most intriguing prospects.
So far in this young season Heathcott is hitting .328/.365/.466 with two triples, one home run, one double, five runs scored and nine RBI. He also has two stolen bases for good measure. In his last three games he is 8-for-11 and more importantly, he is healthy.
Nobody has ever doubted Heathcott’s ability to play baseball. There is a reason the Yankees took him in the first round of the 2009 MLB Draft. They stuck with him through a bout with alcoholism that threatened to derail his career before it got on track. The injuries then started to pile up. Shoulders and knees failed on Heathcott at an alarming rate. Still, Heathcott showed glimpses and was named to a top prospect list here and there and managed to be rated as high as 63 by “Baseball America.”
The Yankees added Heathcott to the 40-man roster in 2013 but was removed prior to this season and re-signed to a minor league deal. None of that has bothered Heathcott who has simply raked this season.
It is easy to dismiss Heathcott’s performance as the creation of a small sample size and you would be right. Thirteen games are not enough to judge. However, it is hard not to be encouraged if you are a Yankees’ fan. In his age-24 season, Heathcott is attacking the ball and his swing looks better than it did at any point in the previous two years, although he did only play in nine games last season.
Heathcott has a lot to prove. There are still tons of games left and guys can wear down. Heathcott hasn’t appeared in more than 103 games in his career and he does have a history of knee and shoulder surgery which is always a concern but so far Heathcott looks healthy and looks a lot more controlled this season. In years past Heathcott would play hard, almost too hard. If there was a concrete wall between him and the ball he might have tried to run through the wall to make the catch. Words like “reckless” and “uncontrolled” were attached to him but this season there seems to be a control to his game that never existed before.
There is still a long way to go for Heathcott to make the Major Leagues but this season is definitely a great step. He will need to stay healthy and show that he is truly turning the corner on the field. So far, he is doing that. Right now it is one day at a time but there is still a chance for Heathcott to be a member of the Yankees for years to come.
