APRIL 10: How it all happened isn’t clear, but Heimlich made his professional debut yesterday, Wagner notes on Twitter.
MARCH 7: League approval of the deal may not be forthcoming, James Wagner of the New York Times reports. Liga Mexicana de Beisbol president Javier Salinas says that, while the case has yet to be assessed fully, “it’s very difficult to see [Heimlich] registered in the Mexican League.”
It seems that the league has already been involved to this point, though, as Wagner also reports that Heimlich signed “a letter vowing good behavior.”
MARCH 6: Former Oregon State lefty Luke Heimlich has agreed to a contract with los Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in the Mexican League, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
The now-23-year-old Heimlich looked to be on his way to becoming a first-round draft pick in 2017 until The Oregonian reported that at the age of 15, Heimlich pleaded guilty to sexually molesting his six-year-old niece. Despite that plea, Heimlich stated in a 2018 New York Times interview that “nothing ever happened.” Heimlich called the guilty plea “a decision me and my parents thought was the best option to move forward as a family,” adding that he has always maintained his innocence.
Heimlich, who wasn’t selected in either the 2017 or 2018 draft, has been connected to the Royals on multiple occasions, with general manager Dayton Moore advocating in a 2018 interview with The Athletic’s Rustin Dodd that he believes Heimlich has “earned an opportunity to play professional baseball.” To this point, no MLB organization has taken that step. A contract to play with the Lamigo Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League last August was rejected by the league after it had been agreed upon between the team and Heimlich’s representatives.
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