Former All-Star and five-time Gold Glove Award winner Jason Heyward has signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees, the team announced on Thursday. The contract includes an invitation to spring training.
Heyward proved to be a dangerous power hitter and solid baserunner during the first six years of his major league career, batting .268/.353/.431 with 276 extra-base hits during his time at the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals. After signing an eight-year, $184 million contract with the Chicago Cubs in 2015, Heyward’s career began to decline, as he went on to produce an OPS that was 14% below the league average from 2016 to 2022.
Despite his downward-spiraling performances, Heyward was considered to be a wise mentor and loyal teammate during his tenure with the Cubs. One of his standout moments on the team was his speech during the rain delay in the late stages of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, in which he was credited with galvanizing his teammates to victory.
Currently suffering from several gaps in their roster, the Yankees are looking to Heyward to add depth to their lineup particularly on the left side of their infield and in center field.
