St. Louis Cardinals Rumors: Jason Heyward Must Be Re-Signed in 2015 MLB Free Agency

Jason Heyward is set to hit 2015 MLB Free Agency and there are quite a few teams that will be interested in him. Despite all of the interest he will receiver, the St. Louis Cardinals must find a way to re-sign Heyward when free agency opens up.

St. Louis doesn't have a true franchise player at the plate, but Heyward still has the potential to be that type of player.

He hasn't been the power bat that many expected him to be when he first came into Major League Baseball. Despite that small disappointment, he has still figured out how to be a major threat at the plate. Heyward was consistent for the Cardinals all season long this past year and came through with some huge hits in key situations.

At just 26 years old, Heyward is one of the more intriguing players on the free agency market. He has quite a bit of experience for his age and is going to have a lot more room to improve over the next two or three seasons as well.

Throughout the 2015 season with St. Louis, Heyward ended up compiling a .293 batting average to go along with 13 home runs and 60 RBI's. His power is still expected to improve as he continues gaining more confidence, but he has been mediocre in the home run category since he slugged 27 home runs back in 2012 with the Atlanta Braves.

Plenty of other teams are going to look at signing Heyward this offseason, but the Cardinals have to be aggressive and give him a good contract offer.

More than likely, Heyward would be happy to return to St. Louis if he gets a deal near what other teams are offering. He enjoyed his first season with the Cardinals and is an excellent fit for what they are trying to do. St. Louis is going to be a contender next season as well, as they are almost every year.

Not only does Heyward have the potential to be a huge bat for the Cardinals, he also is an excellent defensive outfielder. He has one of the best arms in the outfield and showcased that arm time and time again this past year.

Expect to see the Cardinals check in with Heyward early on in free agency and try to get a deal done. If they are unable to bring him back, they are going to hurt in a big way without him.