Andrew Heaney

Lore & Background

Heaney was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and attended Putnam City High School in Warr Acres, Oklahoma. The Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the 24th round of the 2009 MLB draft, but he did not sign, opting to enroll at Oklahoma State University. In 2011, he pitched for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In his junior season (2012), he posted an 8–2 record and a 1.60 ERA in 118+1⁄3 innings, leading all NCAA pitchers with 140 strikeouts. He was named Big 12 Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Year and a unanimous first-team All-American. The Miami Marlins drafted him ninth overall in the 2012 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut on June 19, 2014, against the New York Mets, taking the loss in a 1–0 game. In seven games (five starts) for Miami in 2014, he posted an 0-3 record and 5.83 ERA. On December 10, 2014, the Marlins traded Heaney to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who then traded him to the Los Angeles Angels on the same day. He later played for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers (again), Texas Rangers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He announced his retirement on December 28, 2025.

In Their Own Story

The sun was already low over the outfield wall at LoanDepot Park when Heaney stepped onto the mound for the sixth inning. The crowd was sparse, the kind of Tuesday-night Miami crowd that hums more than it roars. He bounced the ball once, twice, then settled into his delivery. The sinker found the dirt, the shortstop scooped it, the double play was over before the runner on first could take a lead. Heaney nodded, wiped his glove on his leg, and walked back to the dugout where the coach tapped him on the shoulder. No fireworks. No highlight reel. Just a lefty doing the job, inning after inning, while the Miami heat rolled off the diamond in long, golden waves.

Reader's Guide

Heaney was a low three-quarters pitcher with a long stride. He threw a four-seam fastball averaging 92 mph (touching 95 mph), a curveball at 80 mph, and a changeup at 84 mph. In 2022 with the Dodgers, he added a sweeping slider to his repertoire.

Did You Know?

• Heaney was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft (9th overall), not by the Angels.
• Heaney made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2014, not after being acquired from another team.
• Heaney won the 2023 World Series as a member of the Texas Rangers.
• Heaney tied the American League record with 9 consecutive strikeouts in a game on April 10, 2023, while with the Rangers.