"Jason Heyward will be rejoining the Dodgers as a special assistant in the front office, as first reported by Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times. Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported that Heyward also spoke with the White Sox and Cubs about a position before accepting the L.A. job."
"Heyward, long renowned for his clubhouse presence, did not have to wait long for a new role after hanging up the spikes. Signed out of Henry County High School by the "hometown" Braves in 2007, Heyward rocketed up prospect lists before settling as the near-unanimous top prospect in all of baseball before the 2010 season. The 20-year-old Heyward caught fire almost immediately, and rode an above-average left-handed bat, a superlative glove, and tremendous speed to MLB stardom."
"The Cubs signed Heyward to an eight-year, $184MM deal following the 2015 season. Unfortunately, Heyward's bat regressed almost instantly: outside of 2019-2020, the offense was average at best (and often significantly worse). He remained a strong defender and Heyward famously had a rousing clubhouse speech that's been credited with helping to end the Cubs' 108-year championship drought. Following two sub-standard offensive seasons in 2021-2022, the Cubs had decided they'd seen enough and elected to release him in the final year of his deal."
"With only the minimum salary obligation due, the Dodgers elected to extend Heyward a 2023 Spring Training invite. He rewarded their faith with a .269/.340/.473 line in 377 regular-season plate appearances, good for a 119 wRC+ (100 is average) that harkened back to his best seasons. Unfortunately, Heyward wasn't able to recapture the magic in a 2024 reunion with the Dodgers. He would finish out a below-average, yet respectable season between LA and Houston before logging a forgettable 95 PAs with San Diego in 2025"
Jason Heyward is set to rejoin the Dodgers as a special assistant in the front office. He previously discussed potential roles with the White Sox and Cubs before accepting the Los Angeles position. Heyward rose from a Braves draft signing to become a top prospect and near-unanimous top player entering the 2010 season, reaching stardom with a left-handed bat, elite glove, and speed. After five seasons with Atlanta and one with St. Louis, he signed an eight-year, $184MM contract with the Cubs in 2016. His offense declined quickly, though his defense and clubhouse leadership remained valuable. The Cubs released him after subpar seasons. He returned to the Dodgers in 2023, producing above-average results, but later seasons were below average, including time with Houston and San Diego, before moving into a front-office role.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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