FT. WORTH, TX -- Recent Union College graduate Tyler Heck has joined the Alexandria Aces in the Texas Winter League for the 2013 season.

The Texas Winter League is for current and aspiring professional baseball players seeking to improve their skills under the direction of veteran professional baseball managers. The league also provides exposure to those managers and coaches in order to have the chance to play professional baseball.

The TWL is the only affiliated developmental winter baseball league, sponsored by the professional independent United Baseball League. The Aces are managed by former Major League Baseball outfielder Von Hayes.

In Heck's first game, July 21, he had two hits in four at bats and started at third base. The Aces lost to the McAllen Thunder, 14-8, at LaGrave Field.

In his 2013 senior season, Heck was named to the Capital One Academic All-District First Team. He was named the Liberty League Player of the Year. Heck paced Union in several offensive categories including batting average (.394), home runs (3), RBIs (26), walks (16), on-base percentage (.478) and stolen bases (38). Additionally, Heck had another outstanding fielding season as he boasted a .951 fielding percentage. Heck and Esposito are the first Union players to bat over .400 after a regular season since Jay Warzala did it back in the 2001 season. He led the Liberty League in stolen bases for the second consecutive year. As of May 20, the mechanical engineering major ranked fourth in steals and third in steals per game in all of NCAA Division III.

Union finished with a school record of 26 wins, 26-11 overall, and won the regular season title with a 20-7 record. Union reached the Liberty League Championship Round and hosted the tournament.