Credit: John Bazemore AP Press
#4 Jason Heyward (OF) St. Louis Cardinals
Like Gordon, Jason Heyward brings great defense with him every day to the ballpark. Unlike Gordon, Heyward is only 26 years old and his best years could very easily be in front of him. The young outfielder seems like an old veteran, because he came into the league with the Braves at 20 years of age.
The right fielder played in 154 games last season for the Cardinals and hit .293 with 13 homers and 60 RBIs while stealing 23 bases. He has hit a grand total of 97 homers in the Major Leagues and driven in 352 men. Heyward has a rocket arm and is always among the league leaders in outfield assists.
The fact he is so much younger than Gordon, means that Heyward should easily get a six or seven-year deal minimum. The dollar figures for him annually will be around the $20-25 million dollar range. Heyward’s age has a lot to do with his value as teams surely are aware he could get better with time. Heyward will surely eclipse the $150 million dollar mark in terms of whole value of his contract.
Jason Heyward will be a huge addition for a team. Rumor is the Cardinals are going to attempt to retain him, but they could have a hard time outbidding some of the larger market teams. The left-handed hitting outfielder will be a huge pick up for a team this winter. He could develop into a superstar in the right situation.
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