Braves' Jason Heyward finalist for Hank Aaron Award

Jason Heyward is a finalist for the Hank Aaron Award, given each year to the most outstanding offensive player in each league. Heyward hit .269 in 2012 with 27 home runs, 82 RBI and 21 stolen bases.

2012 was Heyward's third year in the league, and his batting average, RBI total, slugging average (.479) are career highs. He made a splash in his rookie season, batting .277 with an on base percentage of .393 and a slugging average of .456. He was named to the National League All-Star team and finished second in the 2012 Rookie of the Year voting, losing out to Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants.

The winner of the award is determined partly by fan voting and partly by a panel of notable judges, including Tony Gwynn, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Robin Yount and Aaron himself. Some of the other finalists include Adam LaRoche, Jay Bruce, Andrew McCutchen and Matt Holliday. Fans can vote for Heyward at Braves.com.