Herrera Making Strong First Impression

Following a slow start to his major league career, Phillies Rule 5 draft pick Odubel Herrera may finally be hitting his stride.

Most casual baseball fans may not know what the Rule 5 draft is, and for good reason. Few of the players taken in the draft go on to have noteworthy major league careers.

Held every December, the draft allows teams to select players from other organizations who fall under certain criteria. Players who were signed at the age of 19 or older and have played in one organization’s minor league system for four years, or players who were signed at the age of 18 and have played for five years, are eligible to be selected.

Any selecting team must then pay $50,000 for the player’s services, and must keep that player on their 25-man roster throughout the entire MLB season. If they don’t want to keep the player all year, they must offer the player back to their original team.

In the most recent Rule 5 draft, the Phillies selected Herrera from the Texas Rangers organization. The Phils also selected pitcher Andy Oliver from the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

Oliver, 27, was a second round pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2009. Since being drafted, the southpaw hadn’t lived up to original hype, fighting control problems for much of his career. The Phillies had hoped Oliver could become another lefty option out of their bullpen.

More from That Balls Outta Here

Herrera, on the other hand, was a bit of an unknown. A native of Zulia, Venezuela, Herrera was signed by the Rangers as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2008 at the age of 16. Still just 23 years old this off-season, the Phillies saw Herrera as an inexperienced young player with high upside.

Prior to the 2015 season, Herrera hadn’t played higher than the Double-A level. This wasn’t for a lack of production, however. Herrera was named MiLB.com’s (Minor League Baseball) Organization All-Star in 2011, and was also selected as a Texas League mid-season All-Star in 2013 and 2014.

Throughout his six minor league seasons, Herrera established himself as a player who hit for average and got on base. In 2014, Herrera hit a combined .315 with two home runs, 59 RBIs and 73 runs scored between High-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco. He also won the Texas League batting title with a .321 average.

Primarily playing second base in the Rangers organization, the Phillies wanted Herrera to become more familiar with outfield positions. Herrera got experience in center field while playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he was able to pick up his hot hitting right where he left off.

In his native Venezuela, Herrera produced a .372/.432/.556 slash line, smacking six home runs and 27 RBIs in 58 games en route to taking home the VWL’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards.

Heading into 2015 spring training, it was believed that both Oliver and Herrera would have strong chances to make the club as the Phillies entered their rebuilding process.

Despite starting out the spring strong, Oliver eventually struggled with his command and was subsequently placed on waivers before the start of the regular season. Herrera, also known as “El Torito,” which is Spanish for “the little bull,” quickly became a fan-favorite down in Clearwater.

Though his unusual batting stance, his dreadlocks, and wearing of a Hooters tank top during pregame warmups may have brought on much of the talk about him, Herrera made some noise with his strong play. In 21 Grapefruit League games, Herrera owned a .343/.382/.443 slash line while catching the eye of scouts with his speed. He was arguably the Phillies best player during the five and a half weeks spent down in Clearwater.

His ability to consistently make contact and cause havoc on the base paths earned him praise from a number of scouts and Phillies management during the spring, including his manager Ryne Sandberg, who called Herrera the “spark plug” of the Phillies lineup.

Herrera took over the center field job from Ben Revere during the spring, and found himself in Sandberg’s Opening Day lineup against the Boston Red Sox when the regular season began. In his first taste of the majors, Herrera struggled early on, going hitless in his first four games played while also dealing with a nagging foot injury.

Herrera has since found his stroke, hitting safely in five of his next seven games, including five extra-base hits. He has also improved his defense in center field, committing no errors through his first 73 innings.

On April 15, 2015 in a game against the New York Mets, Herrera became the first Phillies rookie to have three extra-base hits in a game since Bobby Estalella in 1998.

With his plus speed and his reputation for being a contact hitter, Herrera fits the mold of a certain former Phillie, Shane Victorino. The “Flyin’ Hawaiian” was a product of the 2004 Rule 5 draft, and went on to win three Gold Gloves, in addition to being selected to two All-Star Games during his time with the team.

When center fielder Aaron Rowand left the Phillies for the San Francisco Giants after the 2007 season, Victorino took over Rowand’s spot. He held down that position until being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, but was a major reason the Phillies were able to win five straight NL East Division titles from 2007-2011.

If Herrera even comes close to paying the dividends Victorino brought to the team, the Phillies and their fans will be thrilled. As Herrera gets more experience in the big leagues, look for him to become more comfortable at the plate and in the outfield.

With Herrera’s potential, he could become a serious NL Rookie of the Year candidate this season, and it’s not far-fetched to think that he could be a stalwart in center field during the next great run of Phillies baseball.

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