Chicago Cubs: Jason Heyward is a fantasy commodity again

After an abysmal year at the plate in 2016, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward is off to a better start offensively this season.

To say Jason Heyward was disappointing with the bat last season would be a massive understatement. It seemed as though Theo Epstein and the Chicago Cubs won the off-season when they inked Heyward to an eight-year, $184 million contract after the 2015 season. But like so many big free agent signings before him, reality fell well short of expectations in the first year.

Last season, the 27-year-old slashed an atrocious .230/.306/.325 with only seven home runs. By the start of the 2016 season, Heyward was owned in 99 percent of ESPN leagues. It’s safe to say he let his investors down, as the former all-star produced a paltry 49 RBI to go along with a wRC+ of 72.

It was a huge drop-off from the wildly productive year Heyward had with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015; he slashed .293/.359/.439 with 13 home runs. The young outfielder proved to be a valuable fantasy asset that year, stealing 23 bases, driving in 60 runs and producing a 120 wRC+.

Back on Track?

We’re only approaching mid-April, but Heyward is showing signs that he may be more like the auspicious hitter he was in 2015. He’s started the season 7-for-24, slashing .292/.370/.375 with four RBI. And his .292 batting average could be even higher, if not for some bad luck from the BABIP Gods.

Last Saturday, Heyward went 2-for-5 against the Milwaukee Brewers with an exit velocity of at least 96.3 mph in every at-bat. His 2-for-5 day could have just as easily been a 5-for-5 day. Heyward making such hard contact is an encouraging sign; he struggled mightily to catch up with fastballs last year.

According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon is impressed with what he’s seen so far:

"“I like his hands more involved right now. He’s getting started sooner, staying through the ball longer.”"

Heyward worked hard over the off-season to revamp his swing, and to this point, it looks as if his efforts are paying off. Now, 27 plate appearances is a small sample size, but keep in mind he hit a meager .224 during April of last year. This hot start might be enough to instill a much-needed level of confidence that seemed to be lacking last season.

Widely Available

Currently, Heyward is available in 65 percent of ESPN leagues and 76 percent of Yahoo leagues. This early in the season, it’s no guarantee he’ll keep going at this pace, but if his first week is any indication, he could be in for a comeback year at the plate.

If you believe he’ll continue to trend in the right direction, then pick him up now. It may be a bit early yet to start him if you’re in a 10-team league, but at the very least he’s worth adding to your roster if you have an expendable player on your bench. If you’re in a larger league, you should strongly consider adding him to your starting lineup.

Next: Ryan Zimmerman is a Week One Surprise

We’ll have to wait and see if this hot start translates to lasting success. In the meantime, it would be worth it to give him a shot.

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Chicago Cubs: Jason Heyward is looking like a fantasy commodity again

By Adam H. McGinnis | Apr 12, 2017

After an abysmal year at the plate in 2016, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward is off to a better start offensively this season.

Back on Track?

Widely Available