SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres have announced the signing of outfielder Jason Heyward to a one-year contract for the 2025 season, as confirmed by President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller.
Heyward, a 15-year Major League veteran and five-time Gold Glove Award winner (2012, 2014-17), split the 2024 season between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros. During that time, he batted .211 (48-for-228) with 12 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 37 RBI, 22 walks, and 33 runs scored over 87 games. He displayed versatility by appearing in games at all three outfield positions and posted a .987 fielding percentage in 149 total chances (2 errors). The 6-foot-5, 240-pound left-handed hitter excelled as a pinch-hitter, batting .500 (5-for-10) with a triple, two home runs, and seven RBI. In his final 13 games of the season, Heyward hit .270 (10-for-37) with a .963 OPS, one double, four home runs, and seven RBI.
Originally selected by the Atlanta Braves with the 14th overall pick in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Henry County High School (Ga.), Heyward boasts a career average of .256 with a .748 OPS. Over his 1,790 games played for the Braves (2010-14), St. Louis Cardinals (2015), Chicago Cubs (2016-2022), Dodgers (2023-24), and Astros (2024), he has accumulated 304 doubles, 41 triples, 184 home runs, 718 RBI, 700 walks, 125 stolen bases, and 870 runs scored. A 2010 National League All-Star and 2016 World Series Champion, Heyward ranks 22nd among all active Major League outfielders in career fielding percentage (.988) and fifth among primary right fielders (min. 650 games). He has committed only 40 errors in 3,442 total chances over 14,311 innings. The Ridgewood, N.J. native entered the 2010 season as MLB.com’s No. 1 overall prospect and finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting to San Francisco’s Buster Posey.
