Cubs' Jason Heyward, By The Numbers
By Chris Emma--
(CBS) The Cubs have made an enormous splash, reportedly signing outfielder Jason Heyward.
In Heyward, the Cubs have solidified an important piece of their future. An established name, Heyward's just 26 years old, relatively young in baseball terms.
So, what are the Cubs getting in Heyward? Let's look at some important numbers.
27.8 -- In just six MLB seasons, Heyward has compiled a 27.8 WAR per Fangraphs, which equates to 4.63 per season. In 2015, Heyward posted a 6.0 mark, which ranked 11th in baseball. In front of him was Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, the NL Rookie of the Year, who posted a 6.5 WAR, and trailing not far behind was Anthony Rizzo with a 5.5 WAR. Heyward's viewed as a five-tool talent who can make a major impact in any facet of the game.
.798 -- Last season, Heyward put together a productive run, posting a .798 OPS (on-base plus slugging). While Heyward had just 13 home runs on the year, he's a hitter known to slug to all field, plus displays good patience at the plate. The Cubs can count on Heyward to produce in the heart of their order or to get on base for those in the middle.
3 -- In his six-year MLB career, Heyward has won three Gold Glove awards. He's expected to play center field for the Cubs. Through 233 innings in center field, Heyward has zero errors. He has just 21 errors in 827 games and 6,989 1/3 innings. Heyward's a stellar defensive player who will be an important asset for the Cubs.
26 -- Heyward came up as a prodigy prospect through the Braves organization and has already established himself as a superstar talent. He's just 26 years old and would seem to have his best days ahead. It's rare for a free agent to be made available at that point in his career, but the Cubs were able to strike and add Heyward to the fold.
185 -- The Cubs signed Heyward below the price of $185 million, according to reports, which would be less than some competitors' offers. Heyward was projected to go for over $200 million but was reportedly willing to go below that to join the Cubs' bright future.
22 -- Heyward dons No. 22 on his jersey as a tribute to Andrew Wilmot, a friend and teammate in high school who passed away. He vowed to wear this number throughout his career to honor Wilmot. Cubs shortstop Addison Russell tweeted shortly after Heyward's signing became known that he would gladly offer up his No. 22 jersey to Heyward.
Chris Emma covers the Chicago sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.
