Heyward, Freeman a hit in Braves camp

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — They’re the two youngest players in Braves camp, still teenagers, born in 1989. But when hitting coach Terry Pendleton sees outfielder Jason Heyward and first baseman Freddie Freeman, he sees old-school baseball.

“They just play the game,” Pendleton said. “It’s not about ‘me.’ It’s about playing the game right. Down here, they’ve already shown they will move the runner over, do what it takes. They get hits, too. But they do what they’re supposed to do. It’s good to see 19-year-olds who get that.”

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Rich Addicks/raddicks@ajc.com

Braves prospect Jason Heyward is 2-for-6 with a run in five games this spring.

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Heyward is a 6-foot-4 outfielder from Henry County High outside Atlanta. He’s No. 5 on the Top 100 prospects list in the current issue of Baseball America.

Freeman is a 6-foot-5 first baseman from California. He’s the fifth-rated Braves prospect by Baseball America, and manager Bobby Cox said that might be too low.

“He’s been the talk of the camp, actually,” Cox said, “with one of the pure swings in camp. I love the kid. Roy Clark and the scouting department, and the farm department, have done a great job scouting those kids and developing them.”

Cox was referring not just to Heyward and Freeman, but others, including pitcher Tommy Hanson and center fielder Jordan Schafer, also in BA’s Top 100 (the Braves had five on the list, plus four others they traded in recent years).

Much was written in the past year about Hanson, the MVP of the Arizona Fall League, and Schafer, the Braves’ top-rated prospect a year ago.

But until they were invited to spring training, Heyward and Freeman were known more in Rome, Ga., and among scouts than among most Braves and Braves fans.

The left-handed duo that blistered South Atlantic League pitchers at Class A Rome has quickly made an impression at spring training.

“He mashes balls,” reliever Peter Moylan said of Heyward, who hit .323 with 44 extra-base hits (11 homers) and only 74 strikeouts in 449 at-bats at Rome. He was one of the youngest players in the league and was named its top prospect.

“He’s going to be the next stud,” third baseman Chipper Jones said.

In batting practice back on Field 2, Heyward hits screaming line drives. On defense, he has good range, takes good routes to balls and makes strong throws.

“Last year was a good starting point,” said Heyward. “The goal is to be in Atlanta as soon as possible. That’s what the goal should be every year.”

The son of Dartmouth graduates, Heyward was asked if a taste of big-league camp made him hungry to get to the majors permanently.

“Man, I get hungrier every day,” he said. “Got to stay hungry when you get there, ‘cause that’s what it’s about. It’s not just about getting there.”

Heyward was roommates at Rome with Freeman, who hit .316 with 58 extra-base hits (18 homers) and 95 RBIs, and ranked second in the league in slugging (.521).

Freeman stands out for a few reasons: He holds his bat behind his head; he chokes up, something few do anymore; and he has a compact swing for a big guy.

Said Pendleton: “He’s baseball-savvy. Does what will make him effective. If it’s choking up, he’ll do it. I wish he could tell that to everyone.”

Freeman started choking up a year ago, after getting blood blisters from holding his hand against the knob. The blisters went away, choking up did not.

“I thought it might affect my power,” he said. “But the premier power hitting of all time [Barry Bonds] choked up. … It makes my swing more compact.

“I focus on hitting the ball hard and low, and if it goes out for a home run, it’s a mistake. A good mistake. If I try to hit home runs, my swing gets long.”

Words to make a hitting coach smile.