Who would have thought that Tyler Heineman would have been such an impactful back-up catcher who’s provided urgency? Heineman has been a huge success story for the Blue Jays who recently showed an abundance of urgency following the teams walk-off victory (4-3) against the Houston Astros on September 10th.

At the end of the day, Heineman has done a lot at the plate and behind the dish. While his framing can’t be matched to full-time catcher Alejandro Kirk, he still ranks in the 76th percentile. His block above average also ranks in the 90th percentile, demonstrating his solid defense this season. Heineman has also shown solid potential with throwing out base runners.

Heineman’s Successful Season Marked With Display of Urgency
Heineman’s Impact

Heineman has talked about how the highlight of his MLB career was catching for Kevin Gausman where he pitched the whole game in a shutout 6-0 victory to win the series against the Astros. His impact behind the plate and on the field has provided the team with depth.

His ability to make contact consistently and in key moments has been inevitable. The way he pulls the ball makes him a valuable asset as he can stretch for more doubles and extra base hits. This season he has 12 extra-base hits which is a career high.

Strategic Offensive Adjustment

Heineman moved away from a power-focused hitting approach, which was leading to lower average exit velocity and barrel percentage.

He shifted his focus to his core strengths which have been making consistent contact and his ability to hit to all fields. This approach makes more sense as it allows him to generate more production and be a more versatile player.

Team-Oriented Hitting

By focusing on contact and moving runners over, he has directly contributed to his team’s offensive strategy by getting on base and advancing runners. Heineman also possesses speed which adds to his offensive output. The contributions he has provided have made him a valuable asset and have added to the Blue Jays success this season.

Embracing Player Identity

The adjustment allowed him to embrace his true identity as a player who excels at making contact, leading to a more effective and consistent offensive contribution. It’s incredible how making an adjustment to generate more contact has made him a more established player for the Blue Jays. When the Blue Jays lost Danny Jansen last season, it hurt the Blue Jays. But having Heineman as a back-up to Kirk has worked tremendously well. His .307 batting average has also been impressive.

Main Photo Credits: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images