Robby Hefflinger Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1771
AVG	.242
OBP	.303
SLG	.413
HR	58

Full name Robert Neil Hefflinger
Born 01/03/1990 in Buford, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Georgia Perimeter College
Drafted in the 7th round (208th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2009 (signed for $125,000).

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Physical and strong at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Hefflinger was a Georgia recruit who a two-way player in junior college. While he went 7-0, 2.68 as a pitcher and threw a seven-inning no-hitter, his bat made more noise, as he hit 11 home runs. His arm strength and decent athletic ability gives him a chance to play a corner outfield spot, and he also was Georgia Perimeter's extra catcher after catching in high school.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Hefflinger finally cleared the Carolina League hurdle on his third try at high Class A Lynchburg, ranking second in the league with 21 homers in just 74 games. He made a midseason jump to Double-A Mississippi and discovered more adjustments need to be made. Across both stops, he hit a career-high 27 home runs, one shy of the organization lead. Hefflinger has as much raw power as anyone in the Braves system and has learned how to use it over the past two years by working extensively with hitting coordinator Don Long. He now goes to right-center field more often and has become more aggressive early in the count. While his overall approach continues to improve, Hefflinger remains susceptible to chasing breaking balls and tends to swing and miss frequently due to a hole in his swing. He struck out in 17 of the 20 games he played in the Arizona Fall League. A good athlete for his large frame, he runs well but is continuing to work on improving his routes in the outfield. He has above-average arm strength with consistent accuracy that is more of an advantage in right field than left. He will likely return to Mississippi to open the 2014 slate.
After a dismal start in high Class A last year, the light came on for Hefflinger in the second half after he returned to Rome, where he had spent most of the previous two seasons. Instead of sulking, he worked hard in extensive sessions with hitting coordinator Don Long, and put together his best performance since turning pro in 2009. Much of the change centered on Hefflinger's approach at the plate. He had been taking too many pitches early in counts and then chasing breaking balls with two strikes. By hitting better pitches earlier in the count, he dialed into his easy plus power and used his smooth swing to hit the ball with authority to all fields. A good all-around athlete, Hefflinger runs the bases smartly with speed that's a tick above-average. He covers the outfield corners well and has above-average arm strength with good accuracy. He also generates raves for his leadership, getting a large share of the credit for Rome's worst-to-first turnaround in the second half of 2012. Hefflinger has the raw strength and overall tools to succeed at higher levels, but because he hasn't thus far, the Braves didn't bother protecting him on their 40-man roster this offseason. He'll have to show he can solve high Class A pitching in his third attempt this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

Hefflinger struggled in his brief taste of the CL last season before being demoted to low Class A Rome, where he worked to refine his approach. He returned to Lynchburg as a more selective hitter this year and put on a power display, finishing second in the league in home runs despite playing just 74 games before earning a promotion to Double-A. Hefflinger takes a more aggressive approach earlier in counts to avoid being exploited by breaking pitches. He also worked to stay within his strike zone and did a better job of laying off high fastballs. Instead of trying to pull pitches out of the ballpark, Hefflinger has focused on driving pitches to right-center field, which allowed him to tap into his well-above-average raw power. Several observers noted the key to Hefflinger?s future success will be hitting his pitch on a consistent basis, something he struggled to do while batting just .170 following a promotion to the Southern League. A good athlete who also starred on the mound in junior college, Hefflinger runs well on the basepaths and in the field and has plenty of range to stay in left field.