Andrew Heaney, Man of Many Millions

Photo Attribution: Jays Journal

On an inconspicuous Monday night [1. Did anyone even know the draft was today? I’ve witnessed WNBA drafts with more fanfare…sadly I’ve been able to name more players in certain WNBA drafts than I could in the MLB draft tonight] OSU’s prize baseball player, a slender lefty from Putnam City, was drafted 9th overall by the Miami Marlins in the MLB draft.

He is Oklahoma State’s third highest player ever drafted, [2. Monty Farris went #6 in 1988, Robbie Wine went #8 in 1983, Inky went #15 (?) i 1985, and Robin Ventura went #10 in 1988…nobody else has ever gone in the top 15…] a pretty insane feat when you think about the historical depth of OSU’s baseball program.

Last year’s #9 pick, Javier Baez, signed for $2.66M, you’d have to think Heaney will get at least that in bonus money and probably more given that he’s a left-handed pitcher that throws 90+ and has nasty stuff. [3. It’s not like those are growing on trees like, say, .240 soft-hitting outfielders, which made up 55% of OSU’s squad this season]

Heaney joins what Keith Law ranks as one of the three worst minor league systems in all of baseball.

The bad news about that is that six of Miami’s top ten prospects are pitchers. The good news (other than them having a crappy farm club) is that the highest rated lefty, an Oklahoman named Chad James, currently has a 4.53 ERA in A ball.

Strangely, very strangely actually, James and Heaney were the two best pitchers in the state of Oklahoma three years ago. James was taken by Miami at #18 overall while Heaney went on to Stillwater. James has floundered though, going 5-10 and 5-15 in his first two seasons, and is probably about to watch Heaney pass him on the minor league prospect list.

And as Amilian pointed out, with Giancarlo Stanton, Hanley Ramirez, and Jose Reyes awaiting in the show, Heaney probably won’t have to worry too much about throwing anymore nine-inning 0-0 crapfests.