Jason Heyward will rejoin the Dodgers as a special assistant in the front office, as first reported by Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported that Heyward also spoke with the White Sox and Cubs about the position before accepting the LA job.
Heyward, long known for his clubhouse presence, didn’t have to wait long to take on a new role after hanging up the spikes. Drafted out of Henry County High School by the “town” Braves in 2007, Heyward made the prospect list before establishing himself as the near-unanimous 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, an excellent glove, and incredible speed to MLB stardom. Considering his young age at the time (26) and his overall performance, Heyward was ready to get a good reward in free agency after five years with Atlanta and one with St.
The Cubs signed Heyward to an eight-year, $184MM contract following the 2015 season. Unfortunately, Heyward’s bat backfired almost immediately: except for 2019-2020, the offense was mediocre (and often terrible). He remained a stalwart defender and Heyward became so popular that clubhouse talk credited him with helping end the Cubs’ 108-year hitting streak. Following two mediocre offensive seasons in 2021-2022, the Cubs decided they had seen enough and opted to release him in the final year of his contract.
With only a minimal salary commitment required, the Dodgers elected to extend Heyward an invitation to Spring Training in 2023. He rewarded their faith with a .269/.340/.473 line in 377 regular-season plate appearances, good for a 119 wRC+ (100 average) that went back to his best seasons. Unfortunately, Heyward couldn’t recapture the magic for the Dodgers’ reunion in 2024. He would finish a below-average, yet decent season between LA and Houston before logging an unforgettable 95 PAs with San Diego in 2025 in the final stretch of his career.
His retirement announcement in late March officially closed the book on one of the greatest defensive careers in modern baseball history. In the meantime, Heyward will look to transition into a backup role for the next wave of major league talent. The Dodgers also hired Clayton Kershaw for a special relief position near Opening Day.
