July 25: The Orioles announced that Heasley has been released. Per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com on X, Heasley hasn’t pitched lately due to right shoulder inflammation. Since injured players can’t be put on outright waivers, the O’s have gone the release route instead.
July 24: The Orioles announced that they have selected the contract of pitching prospect Chayce McDermott, a move that was reported last night. In corresponding moves, they optioned right-hander Bryan Baker and designated right-hander Jonathan Heasley for assignment.
Heasley, 27, was acquired from the Royals in an offseason trade. He has spent most of this season on optional assignment, making just four appearances at the big league level. He allowed ten earned runs in 5 1/3 major league innings, giving him an unsightly 16.88 earned run average. But that’s a tiny sample size and a very wonky one at that, as he allowed a .421 batting average on balls in play and stranded just 26.8% of baserunners, both of which are far to the unlucky side.
His Triple-A work has been far better this year, as he has 30 2/3 innings at that level with a 2.64 ERA, 21.8% strikeout rate, 6.5% walk rate. and 40.9% ground ball rate. Though that’s a decent performance, his time on the O’s roster may have been nearing an end regardless. He’s in his final option season and will therefore be out of options next year.
That would make it harder for the O’s to keep him around in the long term. Though his major league struggles earlier this year were brief, they added to a fairly unimpressive track record in the bigs. He now has a 5.89 ERA in 139 major league innings dating back to his 2021 debut.
Baltimore will now have a week to trade Heasley or pass him through waivers, though the waiver process itself takes 48 hours, leaving five days to explore any possible trade interest. He had a bit of prospect pedigree a few years ago, with Baseball America ranking him #13 in the Royals’ system going into 2022. That was on the heels of Heasley tossing 105 1/3 Double-A innings in 2021 with a 3.33 ERA, 27.7% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate.
But he then posted a 6.11 ERA at the Triple-A level over 2022 and 2023 and got squeezed off Kansas City’s roster. He’s been better at the higher levels of the minors this year but still hasn’t found success in the majors. If any club acquires him, they would have the rest of this year to send him to the minors. He also has plenty of potential club control with his service time count just over the one-year mark.
Let’s go, Chayce!
Have to imagine at least a few teams with pieces to sell in the next 6 days will have scouts present to get an up-close look at him tonight.
He’ll probably get two starts. Tonight and then one of the DH games against the Blue Jays I’m guessing.
Glad he and Povich are both getting their feet wet. Chayce has better pure stuff over Povich, but control/command will determine career paths for each of them.
If one is dealt—I hope it’s povich. (I don’t think either should be moved given the lack of any other real SP prospect in the minors close to ready)
But McDermott can help us in the pen this year. I really believe he’d be a nice piece like DL Hall was for us last year.
My order to trade away would be Seth Johnson, Povich, McDermott. We obviously have far more bats to sell given our draft strategy.
After seeing Nittoli and Smith pitch last night I’m glad that they’re getting an opportunity to stick around.
McDermott should get a few starts to see if he can stick in the rotation but he’d be a great relief weapon with that k/9 if they want to limit his innings
Because that package for the Tigers two best players would have to include the Orioles Top 4 prospects and then Westburg and Cowser.
Wow. You’re right. For that amount of added return, they probably could have gotten DET to pay Skubal and Greene’s salary too. Maybe some intl bonus pool money and a draft pick also. Crazy how undervalued and under appreciated Heasley is.