Braves Heyward Gets Compared To McGriff

Chipper Jones is usually the first guy on the Atlanta Braves who is asked to comment on some new player in the farm system. But I cannot remember one as remarkable as his comparison of Jason Heyward to Fred McGriff.

McGriff is a bit of an unsung hero for the Atlanta Braves because when he signed with the team, the Braves appeared at times simply unbeatable.

So it comes with great excitement when Jones says a player in the organization reminds him of McGriff, as told to the AJC.

"“His swing’s obviously a little different, but he looks like a bigger, more muscular version of Fred,” Jones said. “And that’s saying something. Fred’s 6-5, 230 or so. This kid, he’s built like a brick house. To watch the way the ball jumps off his bat — it’s batting practice, I know, and everybody’s supposed to do that in batting practice, but. …”"

Heyward is baseball’s top prospect. His name is appearing in every baseball magazine. But is he really going to have McGriff-like power?

Maybe the Braves don’t need Johnny Damon.