Skip to main content

Prospect Nation 2015: #18 IF/OF Odubel Herrera

Odubel MILBcom
Odubel Herrera, image- MiLB.com
Selected by the Phillies last month in the big league portion of the annual MLB Rule 5 draft, muti-positional prospect Odubel Herrera is primed to make the team's opening day big league roster.

The 23-year-old Venezuelan spent this off-season proving the Phils were right when they plucked him from the Rangers' system. With a league-leading .372 average, six homers, 27 RBI and eight stolen bases in 58 games for La Guaira, Herrera was named the Venezuelan Winter League Most Valuable Player as well as the league's Rookie of the Year.

In the summer of 2008, Herrera signed for a reported bonus of $160,00 at the age of 16. He would begin his pro career the follow year in the Dominican Summer League. Herrera moved at a steady pace in the Texas developmental ranks, but was behind some of the Rangers' other top young infielders (Hanser Alberto, Rougned Odor and Jurickson Profar) on their depth chart, making him expendable to that club.


Splitting his 2014 campaign between Double-A Frisco and Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach, Herrera posted a .315 average with two home runs, 59 RBI and 21 steals in 125 combined games. He was also named an All-Star last year in the Double-A Texas League where he won that league's batting title with a .321 mark.

Overall in his minor league career, the lefty batting Herrera sports a .294/.354/.377 offensive line in 610 games.

His size seems to limit his power potential, but the five-foot-eleven 200-pounder, having logged two batting titles in the past half-year, has proven that he can be an offensive threat. The main concern would be Herrera's effort against left-handed pitchers. He batted just .207 with a .489 OPS against lefties at Double-A, while his numbers facing right-handers were much better with a .353 average and an .855 OPS.

On defense, Herrera is a quality fielder with much versatility. He has played the majority of his affiliated pro career in the infield, notching 411 games at second base and 135 at shortstop. He's touted as a slick fielder with strong range and a good arm. Also in the minors, Herrera has played 13 games in the outfield. His primary position with La Guaira in the VWL this off-season was center field. The Phillies are said to see his future in the outfield.

Speed is certainly part of Herrera's tool set. Having been successful in 72% (128 steals in 178 attempts) of the time swiping bags, he can definitely be a contributor on the bases with some effort focused on getting smarter in that aspect of his game.

A team in rebuild mode like the Phillies have claimed to be should give serious consideration to carrying Herrera for the duration of next season to avoid the risk of losing him back to Texas, as per the Rule 5 pick criteria.

Look for the youngster to get boat loads of playing time all throughout spring training in order to give him every opportunity to impress Phils brass and coaches.

To follow along with this year’s full countdown, click HERE.
ProspectNation

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mike McGuire Living a Dream With Favorite Team

LAKEWOOD, NJ- Every young ballplayer grows up wishing he could play for his favorite team. Mike McGuire has an opportunity to do just that after signing with the Phillies organization in July. McGuire was a 43rd round draft pick taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 2008 amateur draft out of the University of Delaware. Early scouting reports liked McGuire's abilities, despite some arm trouble. He advanced as far as High A Level Kinston last season. While there, he posted an 0-3 record with a 5.46 ERA in 9 games, 8 of which were starts. The Indians weren't happy with McGuire's efforts this spring and released him. McGuire caught on with the Sussex Skyhawks of the independent Can-Am League, where he stayed in shape and pitched against other formerly affiliated minor leaguers. As a starter with the Skyhawks, McGuire went 3-4 with a 5.29 ERA in 8 outings. From there, just as all players in those independent leagues hope for, the 24-year-old McGuire got noticed. The Phillies wer...

Harry's Plaque Has Misprint

At the ballpark today for the first time since Harry Kalas was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Friday, I noticed an error in the text on his plaque. Verbage on the plaque reads like this... Voice of Phillies baseball on radio and TV for 39 seasons. Teamed with Richie Ashburn from 1971 until 1997. Harry was on the air for all of Mike Schmidt's 548 home runs, five Phillies no-hitters, seven National League Championship Series, three World Series, the first and final games at Veterans Stadium and the Citizens Bank Park 2004 opener. Received the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award in 2002 for "Major Contributions to Baseball" and was inducted into the broadcasters' wing at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. His calls were legendary, especially his signature home run call, "Outta heeere." On October 29, 2008, he brought utmost joy to Phillies fans: "The 0-2 pitch, swing and miss , struck him out. The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 Worl...

Lidge Shaky, T-Mac Honored in Trenton

TRENTON, NJ- Brad Lidge made his second rehab appearance for the Double A Reading Phillies on Thursday night and it didn't go as well as the veteran reliever or the team had hoped. Lidge struggled with his command and turned in a rather poor outing for the club that entered the night in a playoff race, 1 game behind division rival Trenton for the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Division. On the disabled list since spring training with a strained right rotator cuff, Lidge experienced an elbow strain when he was working back from that issue in late May. In his outing against the Yankees affiliate in Trenton, Lidge displayed difficulty with his control as he threw three wild pitches, hit two batters, walked another and gave up a single, all while letting up two earned runs on 28 pitches in 2/3 of an inning. After the disappointing performance, Lidge was composed and focused on some positive aspects, having reached 89 and 90 MPH on scouts' radar guns, according to some reports. ...