Jason Heyward

Jason Alias Heyward Bio

Jason Alias Heyward is an American professional baseball outfielder who has played in Major League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, and San Diego Padres. Originally drafted as the Atlanta Braves first-round selection in the 2007 MLB draft from Henry County High School in Georgia, Heyward has built a reputation as one of the premier defensive outfielders in baseball. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 245 pounds, Heyward has earned five National League Gold Glove Awards and was a member of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series championship team. He debuted in MLB with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 and became a National League All-Star that season. Heyward currently resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife Vedrana and their son.

Early Life and Background

Jason Alias Heyward was born on August 9, 1989, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. His father, Eugene, is from Beaufort, South Carolina, and his mother, Laura, is from New York City. Both of his parents graduated from Dartmouth College, where they met. Eugene played basketball and majored in engineering, while Laura studied French. Eugene’s uncle, Kenny Washington, played basketball for two John Wooden-led NCAA championship UCLA teams in 1964 and 1965.

The Heyward family moved to the Atlanta metropolitan area soon after Jason was born. His father Eugene helped fuel both Jason and his younger brother Jacob’s passion for baseball, dedicating himself to driving them to every tournament and competition possible. Eugene emphasized that working hard and approaching the game with discipline were important, but he also stressed that baseball was meant to be fun. Jason played for the renowned East Cobb Baseball program, which has produced numerous other major league players.

Heyward attended Henry County High School in McDonough, Georgia, near Atlanta. He briefly played basketball in his youth but concentrated exclusively on baseball in high school at his father’s urging. During his sophomore year, he faced future MLB catcher Buster Posey in the Georgia Class AAAA baseball championship. Heyward hit a game-tying 400-foot home run in Game 2 of the series. During his junior season, he helped lead the Henry County High Warhawks to the state championship. As a senior, he batted .520 with eight home runs and 29 runs batted in.

Path to Professional Baseball

Numerous colleges recruited Heyward, including UCLA, which offered a full-ride scholarship, and he was also especially interested in Clemson and Georgia Tech. Concurrently, the hometown Atlanta Braves had followed and scouted him for years. Heyward was selected as the 14th overall pick by the Braves in the 2007 MLB draft. Despite signing a National Letter of Intent with UCLA, he chose professional baseball over college and signed a contract with the team worth $1.7 million.

At age 17, Heyward began his professional career in Minor League Baseball in the Braves’ system. He played for both the Gulf Coast League Braves and the Danville Braves of the Appalachian League in 2007, homering in his first professional game. In 12 minor league contests that year, he batted .302 with one home run and six RBIs. Baseball America selected him as the Braves’ top overall prospect and the organization’s best power hitter.

Heyward rapidly ascended through the minor leagues over the next three seasons. He was promoted successively through Single-A Rome, High-A Myrtle Beach, Double-A Mississippi, and Triple-A Gwinnett. Following the 2009 season, both Baseball America and USA Today named Heyward their Minor League Player of the Year. He won the Braves’ Hank Aaron Award as the top offensive player in the organization. Entering the 2010 season, Baseball America, Keith Law of ESPN.com, and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com each listed Heyward as baseball’s top prospect, ranking him ahead of Stephen Strasburg and Giancarlo Stanton.

Jason Alias Heyward Career

Atlanta Braves (2010–2014)

After making a rapid ascent through the minor leagues, the Braves invited Heyward to spring training in March 2010. His hitting drew immediate notice, routinely hitting home runs all over the field. On March 26, after Heyward led the club in on-base percentage and slugging percentage in spring training, the Braves named him their starting right fielder. During his first MLB plate appearance on Opening Day, Heyward hit a three-run home run estimated at 471 feet off Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano. He became the fifth player in Braves history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat.

Through Atlanta’s first 50 games, Heyward lived up to the hype, hitting 10 home runs while batting .301. He was named the National League Rookie of the Month in both April and May. However, after sustaining a thumb injury while sliding in May, Heyward missed playing time and his performance declined after his return. He was selected as a starter for the NL All-Star team but did not participate due to his thumb injury. Heyward finished his rookie season with a .277 batting average, a .393 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, and 83 runs scored in 142 regular season games. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and was named the Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year and Baseball America MLB Rookie of the Year.

St. Louis Cardinals (2015)

On November 17, 2014, the Braves traded Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals along with pitcher Jordan Walden for pitchers Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins. On April 5, 2015, exactly five years after his MLB debut, Heyward appeared in his first game as a Cardinal, garnering three hits including two doubles in a 3–0 victory over the Cubs. Heyward homered in three straight games from June 22 to 24 and matched a career high with five hits in a 12–2 win against the Mets on July 18.

On September 30, Heyward hit his second career grand slam in an 11–1 win over Pittsburgh, giving the Cardinals their 100th victory of the season while clinching their third consecutive National League Central division title. Heyward finished the season with a career-high .293 batting average and a .359 on-base percentage. Among all outfielders since 2010, his 96.2 accumulated ultimate zone rating led the major leagues.

Chicago Cubs (2016–2022)

On December 15, 2015, Heyward signed an eight-year, $184 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, the largest player contract in franchise history at that time. Heyward struggled in his first season with the Cubs, batting only .230 with 7 home runs and 49 RBIs. However, he contributed to the team’s historic season in other ways. In Game Four of the 2016 National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants, Heyward scored the go-ahead run to send the Cubs to the NL Championship Series.

On October 25, 2016, Heyward became one of the first African-Americans to play for the Cubs in a World Series game. He was credited with leading an inspiring players-only meeting during a rain delay near the end of Game 7. The Cubs won the game 8–7 after 10 innings, capturing their first World Series championship in 108 years. On November 9, Heyward became the first position player in Major League Baseball history to win three straight Gold Glove Awards with three different teams.

Heyward’s tenure with the Cubs saw inconsistent offensive production despite his defensive excellence. In 2018, he hit a walk-off grand slam home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Cubs a 7–5 win against the Philadelphia Phillies. He experienced multiple injury setbacks, including concussions and hand injuries. The Cubs released Heyward on November 14, 2022, after he batted .204 with one home run and 10 RBI in 48 games that season. During his seven-year stint with the Cubs, Heyward batted .245 with 62 home runs in 2,522 plate appearances.

Los Angeles Dodgers (2023–2024)

On December 8, 2022, Heyward signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that included an invitation to major league spring training. He made the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster, reworked his swing, accepted a platoon role, and enjoyed a resurgent season. Heyward played in 124 games, batting .269 with 15 home runs and 40 RBI. Following the season, he received the Roy Campanella Award, given by Dodgers players and coaches to the most inspirational Dodger on the team.

On December 6, 2023, Heyward signed a one-year, $9 million contract to return to the Dodgers. In 63 games for them in 2024, he batted .208 with six home runs and 28 RBI. He was designated for assignment on August 22, two days after hitting a pinch-hit go-ahead three-run home run in his final at-bat for the Dodgers. The Dodgers released him on August 26, 2024.

Houston Astros (2024)

On August 29, 2024, Heyward signed a one-year, major league contract with the Houston Astros. During his debut as an Astro, he hit a key two-run double that spearheaded a 6–3 win versus the Kansas City Royals. On September 24, Heyward made a jumping catch into the scoreboard to take away a hit and hit a two-run home run as the Astros clinched their fourth straight American League West Division title. As a member of the Astros, Heyward appeared in 24 games, batting .218 with four home runs and nine RBI. Following the season, he elected free agency.

San Diego Padres (2025)

On February 11, 2025, Heyward signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the San Diego Padres. In 34 appearances for the Padres, he batted .176 with two home runs and 12 RBI. On June 21, Heyward was designated for assignment by San Diego. He was released by the team on June 24, 2025.

Defensive Excellence and Strengths

Heyward has been widely regarded as one of the best outfield defenders in Major League Baseball throughout his career. He throws and bats left-handed and has earned five National League Gold Glove Awards for his defensive work in right field during the 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 seasons. He also won the Fielding Bible Award for right fielders in 2012, 2014, and 2015, and Wilson’s MLB Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014. His combination of speed, positioning, and throwing arm made him a premier defender at the position throughout his career.

Notable Achievements and Career Highlights

Heyward’s career has been highlighted by numerous individual accolades and memorable moments. His Gold Glove Awards spanning five different seasons demonstrate his sustained defensive excellence. The highlight of his career came in 2016 when he became a World Series champion with the Cubs, contributing to the franchise’s first championship in 108 years. His 2010 rookie season saw him named an NL All-Star and finish second in Rookie of the Year voting. Heyward wore uniform number 22 throughout most of his major league career in honor of Andrew Wilmot, a high school teammate and friend who died in a traffic collision.

Jason Alias Heyward Career Statistics

Throughout his career spanning from 2010 through 2025, Jason Heyward has established himself as a reliable player with 186 career home runs and 730 runs batted in across 16 MLB seasons. His career batting average stands at .255. His peak offensive season came in 2012 with the Braves when he hit 27 home runs with 82 RBIs and 21 stolen bases while earning his first Gold Glove Award.

Jason Alias Heyward Family

Family Background

Heyward comes from an athletic family with notable basketball connections through his father’s side. His father Eugene played basketball and worked as an engineer, commuting daily from their home in the Atlanta area to Robins Air Force Base in Houston County. His father’s uncle, Kenny Washington, was a standout basketball player who competed for UCLA during their dominant years in the mid-1960s under legendary coach John Wooden.

Jason has one younger brother, Jacob Heyward, who also pursued a career in baseball. Jacob attended the University of Miami and played baseball for the Hurricanes. Jacob was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 2016 MLB draft and currently serves as a coach in the Giants organization. The brothers share a deep bond through their shared passion for baseball that their father nurtured from their earliest years.

Personal Life

Heyward is married to Vedrana. Their son was born in March 2022. The family resides in Los Angeles, California. In September 2012, Heyward participated in Piedmont Henry Hospital’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign against breast cancer, stating that one of his grandmothers was battling the condition but had improved and that her battle inspired his participation in the initiative. Heyward has maintained the same approach to baseball that his father instilled in him from youth, emphasizing that the game should be fun while remaining disciplined and hardworking.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season marked a challenging chapter in Jason Heyward’s career. After signing a one-year, $1 million contract with the San Diego Padres in February, Heyward struggled to find his footing at the plate. In 34 appearances for the Padres, he batted only .176 with a .223 on-base percentage and .271 slugging percentage, hitting two home runs and driving in 12 runs. The limited offensive production led the Padres to designate him for assignment on June 21, 2025.

Heyward was released by the team on June 24, 2025, ending his tenure with San Diego after less than half a season. Despite the difficult year at the plate, his defensive reputation remained intact throughout his career. The 2025 season represented a continued decline from his earlier career averages and reflected the challenges that veteran players often face as they age through their late 30s. Heyward’s professional career would ultimately span 16 seasons across six MLB franchises.