Meet a Prospect: Ronald Herrera

The New York Yankees acquired 20-year old right-handed starting pitcher Ronald Herrera this week in a trade with the San Diego Padres that sent utility man Jose Pirela back to the West Coast. While it hurts, as a self-professed prospect humper, to see such a useful piece and a guy that plays the game like Pirela leave the team it is also exciting to see potentially a top of the rotation type starter come back in return. Herrera reached Double-A this season with San Diego and is being showcased as a “solid big league starter” down the line despite his small frame, let’s meet him.

The Oakland Athletics signed Herrera out of Venezuela back in 2011 for a modest $20,000 and eventually sent him to San Diego in the Kyle Blanks trade from a couple years back. Herrera was praised when he was signed for being exceptionally polished, a trait he still showcases today, for his age and the fact that he featured three pitches already. Herrera could touch 94 MPH on his fastball when he signed with Oakland despite being just 5’10” and 168 lbs. and also throws a changeup and a curveball.

Herrera’s fastball is said to feature some late sinking action that induces a ton of ground balls, but not a lot of K’s unfortunately. Herrera is not the type of pitcher, at least not yet, that will blow opposing batters away 200 times a season. Herrera relies on his impeccable control, his late movement and his repertoire of pitches to keep the batters guessing and off balanced. Herrera can rear back when he needs to and find his mid-90’s fastball but his strikeout pitch looks to be his changeup at this point in his career.

More to come the more I can find on the latest Yankees prospect. Stay tuned.