Carlos Herrera Stats & Scouting Report

Top Rankings

Signed out of Venezuela for $1.2 million in July 2013, Herrera took a leap forward in 2015 after a pedestrian .230/.289/.281 Dominican Summer League debut in 2014. Herrera played just 12 games in the DSL last season before the Rockies challenged the 18-year-old with a move to short-season Boise. The shortstop held his own in the Northwest League despite his youth, hitting .267/.316/.339 and finishing fourth in the league with 28 stolen bases. A wiry, fast-twitch shortstop with plus speed, Herrera's defense is ahead of his bat. Though he made 23 errors at Boise, he cut down on those mistakes significantly in the second half, and he projects as a plus defender with his solid hands, good actions and an arm that is solid-average but flashes plus. Herrera likely won't hit for much over-the-fence power, but he has a quick, compact stroke, and his ability to manipulate the bat head gives him the chance to hit for average. Herrera is an intelligent baserunner, and speed is very much a part of his game. Whether he sticks as an everyday player is likely dependent on his bat. The Rockies could test Herrera at low Class A Asheville in 2016.

The Rockies pursued Herrera as an international free agent in 2012 and signed the 16-year-old Venezuelan for $1.2 million, betting on the wiry shortstop's future. The Rockies saw him as a true shortstop with the actions to stay at the position and were impressed enough with his Dominican Summer League start in 2015 to move him to the NWL in June. A plus defender and plus runner, Herrera is a fast-twitch athlete with good baseball instincts. A hamstring injury ruined his 2014 season, and he remains more defensively-oriented, but at his best, the lefthanded-hitting Herrera shows a quick, compact swing. He keeps the barrel through the hitting zone a long time and makes contact at a high rate, lacing line drives to all fields. In addition to his speed, Herrera is an intelligent baserunner who swiped 28 bases in 33 tries this season.