Distinction marked Jonathan Heasley's professional career before he'd thrown a single minor or major league pitch. The Kansas City Royals made him part of their then-famous, pitching-rich 2018 draft class that featured future big leaguers Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, Daniel Lynch IV, Jonathan Bowlan, and Jackson Kowar. The future seemed bright for Heasley.
And for a time, it was. In 2019, his first full pro season, he went 8-5 with a 3.12 ERA, 9.59 K/9, and 2.72 BB/9 in A-ball; then, after missing the pandemic season, his 7-3, 3.33 ERA Double-A record paid off with a three-start September 2021 stint with the Royals in which he won his first major league game.