Coming out of college, Heasley was not well-liked. He was not included in MLB Pipeline’s top 250 draft prospects for 2018.
He pitched a disappointing final season at Oklahoma State, going 4-6 with a 5.96 ERA in 80.0 innings while striking out 79 batters and walking 38.
In those 80.0 innings, he also took 93 hits, resulting in a.292 opponent batting average.
Heasley was not on anyone’s radar after a 5.15 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 50.2 innings as a rookie for Rookie-Advanced Idaho Falls.
But this year was a watershed moment. Heasley pitched 8-5 with a 3.12 ERA at Class-A Lexington.
He made 20 starts for the Legends, striking out 120 batters in 112.2 innings and helping them win their second straight South Atlantic League title.
listed among the Royals’ top-30 prospects at the conclusion of 2019, before having his entire 2020 season wiped out.
However, Heasley was a late add to the Royals alternate site, earning him valuable reps and turning enough heads among talent evaluators for him to debut at #25 on the Royals top-30 list that offseason.
After Bowlan went down in late May with Tommy John’s surgery, he was sent to Double-A Northwest Arkansas and slid into the front of the Naturals’ rotation.
Heasley went 7-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 105.1 innings in Double-A, striking out 120 batters.
Jonathan Heasley Signing Bonus
Jonathan Heasley had $247,500 as a signing Bonus when he was rafted in the 13th round (392nd overall) by the Kansas City Royals
