Ben Heller

Ben Heller

33-Year-Old PitcherRP
Pittsburgh Pirates AAA
Out
Injury Shoulder
Est. Return 2/1/2025
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Ben Heller in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Signed a one-year contract with the Pirates in December of 2023.
Outrighted to Triple-A
PPittsburgh Pirates  AAA
Shoulder
November 4, 2024
The Pirates outrighted Heller (shoulder) to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
ANALYSIS
Heller ended the season on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder issue. He's off the 60-day IL but will not return to the 40-man roster. It's not clear how healthy his shoulder is now.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2020
2019
2018
2017
2024 MLB Game Log
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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2019 MLB Game Log
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2018 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
32
Last 10 Games
32
Last 5 Games
28
How many pitches does Ben Heller generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Ben Heller generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-15%
BAA vs RHP
2024
 
 
-34%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-57%
BAA vs RHP
2022
No Stats
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .313 61 9 10 15 3 1 1
Since 2022vs Right .267 87 22 7 20 1 1 2
2024vs Left .263 24 6 3 5 2 0 0
2024vs Right .400 42 9 3 14 1 1 1
2023vs Left .345 37 3 7 10 1 1 1
2023vs Right .150 45 13 4 6 0 0 1
2022vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-60%
ERA on Road
2024
 
 
-100%
ERA on Road
2023
 
 
-44%
ERA at Home
2022
No Stats
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 8.55 1.60 20.0 0 1 0 10.4 4.1 1.4
Since 2022Away 3.38 1.88 10.2 0 0 0 6.8 6.8 0.0
2024Home 16.88 2.50 8.0 0 1 0 11.3 5.6 1.1
2024Away 0.00 1.25 4.0 0 0 0 11.3 2.3 0.0
2023Home 3.00 1.00 12.0 0 0 0 9.8 3.0 1.5
2023Away 5.40 2.25 6.2 0 0 0 4.1 9.5 0.0
2022Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Ben Heller compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.50
 
K/9
11.3
 
BB/9
4.5
 
HR/9
0.8
 
Fastball
95.7 mph
 
ERA
11.25
 
WHIP
2.08
 
BABIP
.489
 
GB/FB
1.33
 
Left On Base
38.1%
 
Exit Velocity
74.8 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
3.8%
 
Spin Rate
2067 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
24.1%
 
Swinging Strike
11.6%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2019
2018
2017
On another team, Heller likely would have made the Opening Day roster, but with the loaded Yankees relief corps, he was slated to begin the year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Before the season began, he was diagnosed with bone spurs in his throwing elbow. When he went under the knife, it was discovered he also needed Tommy John surgery. With an early-April procedure, Heller could return around the All-Star break, when he'll likely return to the RailRiders, looking to reestablish himself in hopes of a second-half callup. Control will be key. Before the injury, Heller walked 10 batters over 18 MLB innings in 2016 and 2017.
A 22nd round pick just four years ago, Heller quickly worked his way up through the minor-league ranks, impressing at each stop along the way. He spent most of the 2017 season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and was lights out at the highest level of the minors. Opponents hit just .172 against the righty, while he struck out 82 batters in 56.1 innings. The 26-year-old was able to translate that success in the minors to an impressive showing in the majors, allowing just one run and five hits over 11 innings, though he struggled a bit with control in those stints with a 9:6 K:BB in nine appearances. Following his strong 2017, Heller figures to get a chance to crack the Opening Day roster in a relief role, but the Yankees have among the league's best bullpen, if not the very best, so it will be tough to pitch his way into high-leverage situations.
He wasn't the headlining prospect in the deal, but Heller was sent over to the Yankees midseason as part of the return from Cleveland in the Andrew Miller trade. The 25-year-old was terrific in the minors, posting a combined 1.69 ERA between both the Double-A and Triple-A levels and held opposing batters to just a .156 average. The righty eventually pitched his way up to the big league club for the first time in his career, though things didn't go as smoothly there in a limited sample size. Heller is really only a two-pitch pitcher, but his fastball occasionally touches triple digits and his slider has proved effective in the minors. He'll enter spring training with an inside track toward winning a roster spot in the bullpen, and though he could be a solid source of strikeouts and holds, it's unlikely Heller gets thrust into many high-leverage situations.
More Fantasy News
Moves to 60-day IL
PPittsburgh Pirates  AAA
Shoulder
September 18, 2024
The Pirates transferred Heller (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
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Lands on IL with shoulder injury
PPittsburgh Pirates  AAA
Shoulder
August 30, 2024
The Pirates placed Heller on the 15-day injured list Friday with right shoulder inflammation.
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Added to roster
PPittsburgh Pirates  AAA
August 8, 2024
The Pirates selected Heller's contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
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Sent outright to Triple-A
PPittsburgh Pirates  AAA
June 14, 2024
The Pirates outrighted Heller to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
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DFA'd by Pittsburgh
PPittsburgh Pirates  AAA
June 10, 2024
The Pirates designated Heller for assignment Monday.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Boston showing interest
PFree Agent  AAA
February 16, 2021
The Red Sox have shown some interest in signing Heller (biceps), Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
ANALYSIS
The 29-year-old was released by the Yankees last week, and he could end up sticking in the American League East. Heller had only six appearances in 2020 due to a biceps nerve injury, and he's covered only 38 combined innings between the majors and minors since 2017. The injury issues figure to limit any guaranteed offers, but the right-hander should be able to secure a minor-league deal somewhere.
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