Will the Braves' Jason Heyward Taste the Bigs in 2009?

All self-respecting Braves fans know who Jason Heyward is.

He is the next big thing in Atlanta.

The left-handed hitting Heyward has drawn comparisons to Cliff Floyd and Willie McCovey because of his big, strong frame (standing an imposing 6'4" and weighing in at 220 pounds) and impressive swing at such a young age (19).

He even led an anonymous GM to say that he'd trade any starter from his team for Jason and that "[Heyward] will lead the league in homers for 10 years" when he hits his stride.

Like all prospects, the potential for bust is there.

But the number one Minor League prospect has backed up the hype in 2009; batting .328 with 12 home runs, 44 RBIs, and an impressive 32:35 BB:K ratio through 67 games split between high-A Myrtle Beach and AA Mississippi.

We all know what happens when prospects are rushed to the Big Leagues, but, with stats like that, would the Atlanta Braves really be rushing their first pick from the 2007 draft with a September call-up?

I go to Andruw Jones as an example.

In his 19-year-old season (1996), he (through A+, AA, and AAA) hit .339 with 34 home runs, 92 RBIs, and an okay BB:K rate of 60:97 in 116 games.

He got the call when rosters expanded in September and, in the heat of a playoff race, saw action in 31 games.

In those 31, he hit .217 with five homers and 29 Ks through 106 at-bats.

However, he made his real impact in the postseason, going 10-for-29 with three homers (including the famous two in his World Series debut).

This jump-started the career of one of the top-10 greatest defensive center fielders of all time.

Could Heyward, with his advanced plate discipline and impeccable natural abilities, have a similar impact?

My gut and the statistics point towards a "yes."

Although he has yet to advance through Gwinnett (which, in my opinion, is more of a arbitrary step in a career than anything else...a lot of players have gone straight from AA to the Majors and found success), Heyward's development in the low-end of the Braves' farm screams for a taste of the Majors.

If nothing else, Heyward should be looked at as the leading contender for right field during spring training in 2010.

But would you rather see Gregor Blanco and Brian Barton when the rosters expand or the cornerstone of the next generation of Braves' winners?