Yankees’ Heathcott May Be on his Last Chance

Slade Heathcott has waited a long time to get the news he received this past Tuesday from the New York Yankees.

Heathcott’s injuries and recently uncovered bout with alcoholism have given him one of the most tumultuous Minor League careers in recent New York Yankees memory. He somehow was given one last chance by the Yankees this offseason, and seemed to cash in on the opportunity at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Now, filling the injured Jacoby Ellsbury’s vacant roster spot, Heathcott may be facing his last chance for a future with the Yankees.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane for those who are not familiar with the career of Slade Heathcott. The outfielder was drafted 29th overall in the first round of the 2009 draft by the Yankees at just 18 years of age. He made his full season debut with Charleston the following season. He did not play well, but what was more concerning was that his season ended with shoulder surgery.

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2011 opened and Heathcott looked like the prospect the Yankees envisioned when they drafted him. He flew out of the gates earning Mid-Season South Atlantic All Star honors. He earned a promotion to the High-A Tampa Yankees, where he would play one game before re-injuring his shoulder, shutting his season down with another surgery.

Heathcott spent 2012 recovering from the injury with the Tampa Yankees. He exploded in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .388/.494/.612 and capturing a Player of the Week Award in the short season. Things finally looked up for Heathcott. He earned an invite to Spring Training with the Yankees heading into 2013 and was Baseball America’s No. 63 overall prospect of 2013. Then, the knee injuries began.

2013 ended like most of Heathcott’s other professional seasons: with surgery. Heathcott had knee surgery and just 9 games into the following 2014 season, his knee acted up yet again, ending his season prematurely with yet another knee surgery. The Yankees seemingly gave up on him, deciding not to give him a contract and letting him become a free agent.

The Yankees though had a change of heart. When no one picked up Heathcott — and rightfully so with that list of injury woes — the Yankees signed him to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. He played surprisingly well batting .333 with a home run and three stolen bases, and while he was not good enough to make it to the Bronx, the Yankees named him the starting outfielder for the RailRiders.

Heathcott played well to start the season and when Ellsbury went down with a sprained knee, Heathcott got his long awaited call to the big leagues. He has to make this count, because it could very well be his last chance.

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Heathcott was a top prospect for the Yankees in a time of what I discussed earlier this season as an era of bad choices. Names like Tyler Austin and Mason Williams joined Heathcott as names that seemed to have fizzled out and not lived up to their potential. Heathcott received his second chance this January with a minor league contract, and now that he is in the Bronx, he needs to perform or he could very well be shown the door.

The Yankees have prospects now. They have near-Major League ready talent in Rob Refsnyder and Luis Severino that will be looking for a slot on that 40-man roster. They also have Ramon Flores who looks like he may be ready to hit the Bronx sooner than expected. Anyone who knows anything about the Yankees’ farm system also knows that Aaron Judge is the future of their outfield. If Heathcott wants to hang around, he has a short window to show why he should.

That window can end when Ellsbury comes back. The injuries are beginning to mount up for the old Yankees team, and struggling players like Didi Gregorius and Stephen Drew may need to be replaced. That all means more room will be needed on the 40-man roster. Should Heathcott not perform well in his short stint in the Bronx, it could very well be his last.