Dilson Herrera Stats & Scouting Report

AB	49
AVG	.204
OBP	.268
SLG	.265
HR	0

Full name Dilson Jose Herrera
Born 03/03/1994 in Cartagena, Colombia
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 08/29/2014

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

When the Mets traded Marlon Byrd to the Pirates to acquire Herrera in August 2013, they didn't expect the low Class A second baseman to be in the big leagues a year later. That's exactly what happened in 2014, though, when Herrera hit .323/.379/.479 between stops at high Class A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton on his way to New York as an injury replacement for Daniel Murphy on Aug. 29. Short and compact, Herrera incorporates his hands and lower half adeptly in his swing, projecting to hit for a high average with frequent hard contact, a middle-field approach and bat speed to spare. He ranked fourth in the minors with 169 hits in 2014, thanks to a quick, repeatable swing. He hits for primarily gap power with the potential for double-digit home runs. An average runner, Herrera is no better than average defensively at second base, showing stiff actions and fringy range for some evaluators. His arm works at the keystone but is inadequate for shortstop, where he logged 27 games in 2014. The Mets love Herrera's makeup and work ethic, which factored in their decision to call him up in August, though he probably will begin 2015 at Triple-A Las Vegas while he waits for regular at-bats in New York. He can be a first-division second baseman based on his offensive ceiling.
The Pirates had scouted Herrera in his native Colombia since he was 12 years old, finally signing him for $220,000 in 2010. He made a boisterous U.S. debut in 2012 by hitting .281 and leading the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 22 extra-base hits, and then he represented the Pirates at the 2013 Future Game. A late-August trade landed Herrera and reliever Vic Black with the Mets and Marlon Byrd and John Buck with the Pirates. A high-energy player who endeared himself right away to his new teammates, Herrera could develop into an offensive-minded second baseman. He's worked hard to clean up his actions at the keystone, and though some South Atlantic League managers didn't like his stiff actions or transfer, most evaluators think he's quick enough and throws well enough to profile at the position. Herrera really shines in the batter's box, where a balanced, all-fields hitting approach and lots of hard contact enable him to hit for a solid average. He gets in trouble when he enters pull mode and expands his zone, but he has enough juice for average power. He runs well despite a stocky frame. Herrera sports many 50 grades on his report card and could be major league ready by 2016, but first he'll take on the high Class A Florida State League in 2014.
Latin American scouting director Rene Gayo has developed a pipeline into Colombia thanks to a strong relationship with Con Familiar, a youth baseball program there. Those ties helped the Pirates sign Herrera for $220,000 in 2010. He made a strong U.S. debut last season, leading the Gulf Coast League in runs (41), extra-base hits (22) and total bases (96). Herrera has few holes in his swing and makes consistent contact to all fields while showing surprising power for a smaller player. He also has plus speed that makes him a potential stolen-base threat. Herrera played shortstop as an amateur and some third base in the Rookie-level Venezuelan Summer League in 2011, but his lack of arm strength limits him to second base. He has the range to be above-average at the keystone and showed improvement in turning the double play last season. He'll make his full-season debut in low Class A this season.

Minor League Top Prospects

Herrera vaulted from the Florida State League to the major leagues in just five months last year, skipping past Triple-A on his way to Queens. He returned to the minor leagues this season, this time with Las Vegas. Herrera hit .327/.382/.511 in 81 games with the 51s, and would have finished fourth in the PCL batting race had he gotten enough plate appearances to qualify. But a three-week stay on the disabled list due to a broken right middle finger and a few stints in the big leagues left him just shy. Herrera has an excellent feel for hitting. He's a disciplined hitter whose up-the-middle-approach and quick swing enable him to hit for high averages. He has good bat speed and produces consistent hard contact. He has mostly gap power but has hit double-digit home runs in all three of his years in full-season ball. Herrera has an average arm and fringy range, but is a capable second baseman. He earns praise for his makeup and work ethic.
Acquired by the Mets for Marlon Byrd in 2013 from the Pirates, Herrera spent all of 2013 in low Class A but finished 2014 in the major leagues with the Mets. One of the league's younger regulars, he impressed managers with both his physical tools and maturity. Herrera is an offensive player whose power was muted in the bigger ballparks and heavy air of the FSL, but he hit 10 homers after a promotion to Double-A Binghamton. He features a compact, short swing with pull-side power and a knack for the barrel. He's adept driving the ball to the gaps, runs well and has athleticism to spare, even if his body thickens up a bit going forward. He's an average defender at second base with first-step quickness, good range, the savvy to read hitters and scouting reports and enough arm for the position. "He's the kind of player where, if he's not hitting, he still figures out a way to get on base or plays good defense," St. Lucie manager Ryan Ellis said. "He has the ability to separate his at-bats from his baserunning, defense, whatever. If he's not proficient in one area, he'll find a way to be good in another."
The prize in the trade that sent Marlon Byrd to the Pirates last season, Herrera has so far looked to be a coup for the Mets after performing well in both high Class A St. Lucie and Binghamton this season. Much like Mets starter Daniel Murphy, Herrera receives most of his positive marks for his bat. He's an aggressive hitter with a short, compact swing and the potential for double-digit home run power in the future. He went deep 13 times in the minors this season, and then swatted two more in his first few games in the big leagues. Herrera plays serviceable defense at second base with fringy range and actions that are sometimes stiff. He's not a liability out there and has the work ethic to make himself into at least an average defender as he matures. His arm is a little short at this point but got better as the year progressed and should continue to do so as he gets stronger.
Among the most active teams in Colombia, the Pirates work closely with a youth team called Con Familiar, which is how they got to know Herrera when he was 12. They signed him four years later in 2010 for $220,000, and he played well in his U.S. debut this summer. He led the GCL in runs (41), extra-base hits (22) and total bases (96) while ranking second in homers (seven) and slugging (.482). Herrera's bat is his best tool, as he shows natural rhythm and good plate coverage thanks to a swing with few holes. After switch-hitting as an amateur, he has hit exclusively righthanded as a pro. He has an all-fields approach, surprising power for his size and plus speed that makes him a threat to steal bases. Herrera played third base last year in the Rookie-level Venezuelan Summer League, but his arm is fringy and he moved to second base in the GCL. Hitting comes more naturally to him than fielding, but he has good range and should be at least an adequate defender at second.