Ivan Herrera’s Bat Will Play At Higher Levels
During his 10-game stint in the Arizona Fall League a year ago, catcher Ivan Herrera produced impressive enough numbers that one of the most telling stats of his time there went overlooked.
His age.
“Nobody stops long enough to say he’s only 19,” Cardinals farm director Gary LaRocque said of Herrera, who hit .324 with more walks (five) than strikeouts (four) in 10 games.
The top catching prospect in the Cardinals’ organization who has yet to reach the majors, Herrera vaulted into view as a teenager and, a few months after his 20th birthday, was added to the 40-man roster.
After trading Carson Kelly and calling up Andrew Knizner, the Cardinals have positioned Herrera as the next rising catcher to carry the title “heir” to Yadier Molina. Herrera’s expected ETA coincides with Molina’s wish to play two more seasons—if he re-signs with the Cardinals.
The Cardinals signed Herrera for $200,000 out of Panama, where he caught Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera’s son. In his first pro turn, Herrera hit .335/.425/.441 in 49 games with the Dominican Summer League affiliate, and that slingshot him quickly to higher levels.
Herrera hit .286/.381/.324 at low Class A, and at the end of the 2018 season the Cardinals promoted him to Double-A Springfield so that he could get a peek at what awaited him. Asked about that four at-bat experience the next spring, he told an official with a wink: “I can play there.”
Herrera was earmarked to be the everyday catcher at Double-A in 2020, with the possibility the depth chart would shift to get him a late-summer look at Triple-A—or wherever there was a postseason for him to experience.
During the pandemic summer of 2020, Herrera spent his time mostly at the alternate training site, getting the experience behind the plate that solidifies his standing. The Cardinals believe his bat will play at higher levels, and his mitt is starting to catch up.
REDBIRD CHIRPS
— In addition to Herrera, the Cardinals added righthander Angel Rondon to the 40-man roster. The relentless strike-thrower was the organization’s pitcher of the year in 2019 after going 11-7, 2.93 at two levels. Rondon, 23, had 112 strikeouts in 115 innings at Double-A, and is set for Triple-A in 2021.
— The Cardinals did not tender a contract to first baseman Rangel Ravelo at the Dec. 2 deadline, allowing him to pursue possibilities abroad. The 28-year-old had an agreement in place to play in Korea for 2020 before the Cardinals had an opening on their bench and had him remain on their roster.
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