Pro-side Scouting Report: Chris Heisey, OF, Cincinnati Reds
By John Klima
December 26, 2009
The Arizona Fall League is hyped as a league for can’t-miss young prospects, but in reality this league is vastly more important for older players like Reds outfielder Chris Heisey, a 17th round pick in 2006 from Messiah College, a Division III Christian college in Grantham, Pennsylvania. Heisey, who will be 25 on Opening Day, had his most productive minor league season in 2009 when he hit 22 home runs and drove in 77 runs between Double-A and Triple-A.
Heisey’s most valuable tool is his power, which he’s clearly developed with patience and hard work as a pro. I had never seen Heisey before two games in the Arizona Fall League and two BPs, and liked him for what he is. Heisey has strong hands, bat speed, good actions, and a good sound off the bat. He’s not talented enough to be a dominating major league player, but I think he’s got enough pop to produce gap-to-gap power.
I’m sure there will have been some scouts who looked at this player and his age and concluded he is a fringy 48-49 extra at the major league level at best, but I think there’s more here.
This is obviously a very hard-working player who has raised his grades all the way up his organization. Heisey could fit in on the major league level as an outfielder who can play all three positions and provide 16-18 HR power if he gets frequent at-bats. This is a good example of a professional ballplayer without the earth-shattering talent who nonetheless has made himself a candidate to be a very serviceable big leaguer.
