Unlike Daniel Norris, Angels prospect Andrew Heaney hasn’t locked up a spot in the rotation or even on the Major League roster this spring. In five pre-season starts, the 23-year old is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA. He has allowed 19 earned runs on 29 hits and seven walks in 19 innings with 16 strikeouts. Opponents have hit .358 against him.
After he surrendered six runs on eight hits in five innings – including a four-run third inning in Sunday’s 8-6 loss to Cincinnati – Heaney shared his disappointment with the media.
"“It is disappointing. I came into camp wanting to make the team, didn’t come into camp trying to break with Triple-A,” Heaney said. “I don’t know, I just go out there and pitch. It’s not up to me to make decisions. I want to make decisions easy for them, and I don’t feel like I’ve performed well enough to have that.”"
Still, Heaney is one of the top pitching prospects in the American League and will make an impact in Anaheim this season. After all, the Angels thought enough of him to ship longtime second baseman Howie Kendrick to the Dodgers, who acquired Heaney from the Marlins a day earlier.
Heaney had been the top prospect in the Miami organization since being drafted in the first round in 2011 and made his big league debut in June. However, after four starts he was sent to Triple-A New Orleans for more than two months before being called up again in September.
The Angels aren’t expected to need a fifth starter until at least April 14, and Heaney must prove more worthy than Nick Tropeano to earn the spot, but Heaney has the edge because of his high upside. Don’t be surprised if he ends up pitching in big games down the stretch in the pennant race for the defending AL West champs.
Next: Carlos Rodon