July 17, 2001

Primary content provided by Kevin T. Czerwinski of www.mets.com

NEW YORK. N.Y. – It took a little longer than both sides would have liked but the Mets got their first-round pick from last month’s draft in the fold. Notre Dame’s Aaron Heilman (Logansport, Ind.) inked his first pro contract Tuesday at Shea Stadium and will report Wednesday to St. Lucie of the Florida State League.

Heilman returned for his senior season in 2001, after electing not to sign with the Minnesota Twins-who had selected him with the 31st overall pick in the 2000 draft. The Mets then selected the national player-of-the-year finalist with the 18th overall pick in the 2001 draft.

“I’m really excited to be out here,” the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Heilman said as he greeted the New York media for the first time while watching Mets batting practice at Shea Stadium. “I’m glad we got this all squared away and I’m looking forward to starting playing and someday playing in this park.

“I didn’t have too many expectations [about signing]. I just wanted to take it one day at a time. The negotiations went well and we finally came to an agreement,” added Heilman, who was joined at the press conference by his parents Joe and Deborah Heilman. “I guess it’s always important to sign as quickly as possible. I just want to get my season started.”

Heilman also threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Tuesday night’s game between the Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays, with former Irish pitcher Chris Michalak looking on from the visitors dugout as Heilman tossed the ball to all-star Mike Piazza.

The much-anticipated start of Heilman’s pro career stands as a testament to the growth of the Notre Dame program.

“When it was all said and done, Aaron received significantly more from the Mets than he turned down from the Twins,” said Notre Dame head coach Paul Mainieri. “But with Aaron it never was about the money, it was about being treated fairly and he had a strong desire to come back for his senior year.

“The kid had a great year and led the way in a very special season for Notre Dame baseball. I can’t imagine any athlete having more of an impact on his team throughout a four-year career and there will be countless Notre Dame fans pulling for him during his pro career.”

The Florida State League runs a split schedule through Sept. 2. If Heilman pitches the way he did for the Irish during his career in South Bend, he shouldn’t have any problem stepping right into the rotation or moving up the ladder.

“The timing [of the signing] is fine,” New York’s director of scouting Gary LaRocque said. “I respect the time it takes to get these things done. Everything is on track. Tomorrow he’ll be at St. Lucie and that’s the right fit for him. He’ll have the opportunity to step right into a high-A league.”

NOTES

Heilman went 15-0 in 2001 with a 1.74 ERA, sixth-best in the nation. He was the only unbeaten pitcher in the nation with 13-plus wins. Heilman totaled 111 strikeouts in 114 innings while allowing only 70 hits, 31 walks and 20 earned runs. He turned in 12 complete games (three shutouts) and held the opposition to a .173 batting average. Opposing batters hit only three home runs vs. Heilman and put together a slugging percentage of just .220.

Heilman closed his career by winning 25 of his final 26 decisions and is one of 15 all-time Division I pitchers to post 40 career victories (43-7) and 400 strikeouts (425 in 393 innings). His 111 strikeouts were third-most in a season at ND, behind the 118 he posted in 1999 and 2000. He allowed a home run only once every 32.8 innings during his career. The two-time BIG EAST pitcher of the year and former member of Team USA (’99) had 26 complete games, six shutouts and finished with a career ERA of 2.49 (second-best in ND history and best since ’61).

Heilman said he has been working out in an attempt to stay in shape, throwing to his high school catcher in what he calls “bullpen sessions.” The big righty has a fastball that clocks consistently in the low to mid-90s. He also has a good changeup, is developing a split-finger pitch and is credited with having the best pure slider in college baseball. Baseball America rated him as one of the three best control pitchers in the college game.

How he will fare at St. Lucie or how quickly he will rise through the system remains to be seen. Heilman doesn’t seem concerned with all that, however. He just wants to get on the mound.

“There will always be adjustments to make,” said Heilman, who majored in management information systems. “The number of good hitters will increase as you progress. Your margin for error then decreases. You have to make adjustments from pitch to pitch now instead of from batter to batter. Going to Notre Dame helped a lot. Every game we played, we faced someone’s number one guy. They were gunning for us just because of the name. It really helped you concentrate.

Heilman was a consensus first team All-American and one of the leading votegetters for national player-of-the-year honors in 2001. He was one of just six starting players named a first team All-American (at the same position) by the American Baseball Coaches Association, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and USA Today. The others include two pitchers-USC’s Mark Prior (the consensus player of the year) and Middle Tennessee’s Dewon Brazelton-plus Baylor C Kelly Shoppach, Tennessee SS Chris Burke and Florida State OF John-Ford Griffin. Top votegetters for national player-of-the-year honors in 2001 included the pitching trio of Prior, Heilman and Brazelton, plus Burke and Kent State’s John VanBenschoten (a first baseman/pitcher).

The 17th all-time Notre Dame student-athlete to be a four-year All-American in the same sport and just the fifth to do so in a team-oriented sport, Heilman closed his career with a total of 10 All-America awards from the four major organizations (no other ND baseball player ever has compiled more than three).