hey, hey, heyward

The hype continues to build for Jason Heyward, the former Mississippi Braves outfielder. MLB Network and mlb.com have named him the overall No. 1 prospect heading into the 2010 season. This follows his being named the minor league player of the year by both Baseball America and USA Today. Heyward was impressive as he blew through Double-A last summer, hitting .352 with seven home runs in 162 at-bats for the M-Braves before finishing the season at Triple-A Gwinnett. He also plays a mean right field. He’s a specimen at 6 feet 4, 220 pounds. His stance and swing are a bit different for a player of his size; he has what might be called a small-guy approach. But there’s nothing small about the way he produces. Atlanta certainly hopes that approach works in the big leagues. The Braves are counting on him to arrive there soon and take up the mantle of local hero left behind by Jeff Francoeur. Greatness is being forecast far and wide. There’s a lot on Heyward’s shoulders as he heads to spring training.