Neal Heaton was a left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for 13 seasons. He was born on March 3, 1960, in South Ozone Park, New York. He attended Sachem High School in Lake Ronkonkoma, New York, where he played baseball and basketball. He then went on to attend the University of Miami, where he played college baseball.
Heaton was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the second round of the 1981 MLB draft. He made his major league debut on April 7, 1982, at the age of 22. He spent four seasons with the Indians, from 1982 to 1985, before being traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1986.
Heaton had his best season in 1988 with the Twins, when he went 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA in 28 starts. He also pitched in the postseason that year, starting Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Oakland Athletics. Heaton pitched well, allowing just two runs in six innings, but the Twins lost the game 2-1.
After the 1988 season, Heaton became a free agent and signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent two seasons with the Pirates, from 1989 to 1990, before being traded to the Kansas City Royals in 1991. Heaton then signed with the Montreal Expos in 1992 and spent two seasons with the team, from 1992 to 1993.
Heaton's career statistics include a record of 80-96 with a 4.37 ERA in 341 games (232 starts). He struck out 1,063 batters and walked 580 in 1,578 innings pitched. He also had 10 complete games and five shutouts.
After retiring from baseball, Heaton became a high school baseball coach in Florida. He also worked as a pitching coach for the Miami Marlins' minor league system. In 2015, he was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame in New York.
Overall, Neal Heaton had a solid career as a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. While he never became a star player, he was a reliable starter and contributed to several teams throughout his 13-year career.
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