star power

Former Mississippi Braves outfielder Jason Heyward — and it’s safe to assume he won’t be back at Trustmark Park anytime soon — was named Baseball America’s minor league player of the year today. Heyward, who began 2009 at Class A Myrtle Beach and is now at Triple-A Gwinnett, played in 47 games for the M-Braves and hit .352 with seven homers and 30 RBIs. Winning this award is typically a harbinger of a bright future. Previous winners include Joe Mauer, Josh Beckett, Rick Ankiel, Andruw Jones (twice), Derek Jeter, Manny Ramirez and, yes, Gregg Jefferies. Jefferies won it twice — in 1986 and 1987. He played parts of both of those seasons with the Jackson Mets. He could flat out hit, but he didn’t really have a position, a shortcoming that may have kept his big league career from taking off. That’s not a problem for Heyward. He’s a darn good right fielder.