On the heels of Jose Ortegano being named Southern League Player of the Week, baseball's top prospect, Jason Heyward, was named the Southern League Player of the Month for July. The award, sponsored by Topps, is chosen by Southern League field managers. Here is a blurb from the press release:
Heyward began the season as Atlanta's best outfield prospect and in just his second full professional season, has further cemented his status as one of the game's brightest young stars. In its midseason review, Baseball America named Heyward, who turned 20 on August 9, the No. 1 minor league prospect in all of baseball. He was billed at No. 5 on the preseason list, also ranked first on their list of Minor League Player of the Year candidates.
Heyward started the 2009 campaign at High-A Myrtle Beach, and batted .296 with 10 homers and 39 RBI in 49 games before his promotion to Mississippi on July 3. In 31 games at the AA level, Heyward has recorded multiple hits 15 times and is hitting .411 with six homers and 23 RBI. He owns a staggering .492 on-base percentage, a robust .729 slugging percentage and has walked 17 times against just 12 strikeouts.
So, yeah, we knew he was a monster. I don't know why he's still at double-A. Caution be damned, promote the kid.