Former Cub Jason Heyward holds home run derby for Chicago kids
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The day after the MLB Home Run Derby going on in Atlanta, former Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward joined up with Intentional Sports Tuesday to host his own JHey Home Run Derby in Chicago.
Heyward was joined by former Cubs right fielder Nick Castellanos to host the event at the North Austin Center, at 1841 N. Laramie Ave. on Chicago's West Side, which is home to the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy.
Heyward, who was recently released from the San Diego Padres, is trying to expose young players to cutting-edge technology. His academy uses , an advanced baseball and softball technology system that offers real-time ball tracking, video analysis, and other analytics.
Heyward hopes high-tech hitting will help them achieve their big-league dreams.
"This is comparable to home club houses, better than a lot of division clubhouses on the roads, batting-cage-wise that we get to hit in, and the technology from HitTrax — we appreciate them working with us — and Jason Heyward Baseball Academy to have that technology here? This is the game now. You know, you don't go in the batting cage without having these type of analytics."
Castellanos also said the event gives kids a great opportunity.
"To be able to support him and kind of what he's doing, and giving back to the city of Chicago, I think is great," he said. "This is on par with what we have in the big leagues, so I think for the kids to be able to come here and get a little bit of a taste of the tech that we have the privilege of using, I think is pretty special."
Sam Incandela, director of the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy and Intentional Sports, emphasized in particular how kids get to simulate hitting a ball at their favorite stadium with HitTrax technology.
"Bringing a 6-year-old or a 7-year-old or an 8-year-old kid in here, and flipping the ball to them, and letting them see the ball fly in Wrigley Field, or Guaranteed Rate, where they watch the big leaguers play, they want to come back and do it again," said Incandela, "and the more they come swing the bat, the better they become, because really at that age, that's all it's about — see how far you can hit it, have fun, and if you have fun it comes back. And that's how I fell in love with the game."
