Yankees’ MiLB Injury News: Heathcott Done for the Season

Image: Kevin Pataky/MiLB.com

The injury bug has struck again for New York Yankees’ prospect Slade Heathcott. The Examiner has reported that Heathcott is out for the remainder of the season once again due to his lingering knee issues. It is the second time the knee has cost Heathcott time in the last two seasons.

Heathcott was drafted 29th overall by the Yankees in the first round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft. He was once considered one of the Yankees’ top prospects, but in the years since, has struggled to stay on the field. This season, he began the year in extended spring training recovering from off-season knee surgery. He returned to the Thunder lineup on May 15th, but his stay was short lived. After just nine games, Heathcott was put on the 7-day DL.

Not much was revealed at first as to why he was placed on the DL, as Heathcott himself remained hush hush about it. The original prognosis was it would be an approximate six week hiatus for the Thunder outfielder, however, a scope of his knee determined it was much worse. He is now officially done for 2014. As the Yankees feared, it is once again due to the meniscus tear and patellar tendinitis that led to Heathcott’s eventual shut down at the end of the 2013 season.

Heathcott was a shell of his former self in his nine-game stint this season. He batted .182 with just two extra base hits and one RBI. While there is no accurate timetable for his return, he should be able to be ready for the Thunder next spring. He will be 24, so it’s time to wonder whether the Yankees should turn the page on the injury-plagued outfielder or to stay the course. Only time and the off-season will tell.