LukeHeyer

• Cal Ripken Summer League Champions (2017)
• SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll (2017)

Outlook
Gritty, hard-nosed, blue collar player…Has big power from right side… Plus arm at third base…Could see some time in the outfield this year…At minimum will be a quality right-handed bat against lefties…Was a premium hitter at the junior college level before arriving at Kentucky…Experienced and tough-minded.
 

2017 SUMMER
Played in 25 games with the Bethesda Big Train of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League…The Big Train were the Ripken League champions for the second consecutive season…Played with UK teammate Austin Keen…Overcame a slow start to hit .321 in 25 games…Rapped out seven doubles and four home runs with a .946 OPS…Scored 21 runs and drove in 15…Had an 11-game hit streak and hit safely in 13 of 14 games during that stretch…Had five runs, five walks, four stolen bases and an RBI in five playoff games.

 
2017
Appeared in 37 games with 18 starts…Versatile defender saw time at both third base and the outfield…Hit .262 with six doubles, three home runs, 12 RBI and 12 runs scored…Notched his first career hit, a double, on 2/19 at North Carolina…Launched his first home run on 2/25 at Old Dominion as part of a 2-for-2 performance with two runs and three RBI…Also drove in three vs. Western Kentucky on 3/1…OPS was .834…Stole one base and was hit by three pitches…Had four multi-hit games and three multi-RBI games.

JUNIOR COLLEGE (College of Central Florida)
In 2016, hit a team-high .358 in 51 games as a sophomore…Led or tied for team-high team in doubles (17), triples (2), home runs (12), runs (55), runs batted in (61), stolen bases (7), on-base percentage (.474) and slugging percentage (.658)…Named First-Team FCSAA All-State and First-Team Mid-Florida Conference Team…Recorded 20 multi-hit games…In 2015, hit .275 in 48 games as a freshman…Led the team in home runs (5) and runs batted in (39)…Finished with eight doubles, two triples, 35 runs scored, three stolen bases, a .347 on-base percentage and .433 slugging percentage…Recorded 12 multi-hit games…Coached by Marty Smith.

HIGH SCHOOL
Led Durant High School to district, region and state 8A championships as a junior … District champion as a senior … Coached by Butch Valdes … Graduated with high honors…Travel coach was former Major Leaguer Chet Lemon.

PERSONAL
Full name is John Luke Heyer…Pronounced “HIGH-er”…Major is Civil Engineering…Son of John and Lea Heyer…Born in Lithia, Fla….Has one older brother, Logan (23)…Favorite MLB team is the Tampa Bay Rays…Favorite MLB player is Albert Pujols…First MLB hat owned was Tampa Bay Rays…Wears No. 26 because he was born Sept. 26.