Starling Heredia
| AB | 1012 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .239 |
| OBP | .325 |
| SLG | .41 |
| HR | 29 |
- Full name Starling Heredia
- Born 02/06/1999 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Heredia finished as the runner-up at the Under Armour All-America Game home run derby in 2014, hitting balls out of Wrigley Field at age 15. The Dodgers signed him for $2.6 million out of the Dominican Republic the following summer. Heredia tore through Rookie ball in his U.S. debut in 2017, hitting .427 with a 1.221 OPS in the Pioneer League before finishing at low Class A Great Lakes. Heredia is a physically mature specimen with plus power, thunderous hands and impressive speed for someone his size, routinely turning in average run times. He makes a tremendous amount of hard contact and can hit the ball out of any park on a line or in the air. He can be overly aggressive and breaking balls give him trouble, but he has shown the ability to make adjustments. Heredia's corner outfield play is wildly inconsistent, sometimes looking poor with a below-average arm and at other times looking solid-average with a plus arm. Nicknamed “Pit Bull”, Heredia can get too aggressive and play too fast on both sides of the ball, and he wore himself out by the end of the year. If Heredia can channel that aggressiveness, evaluators believe he could become a .240 hitter with 30 home runs. He will remain at the Class A levels in 2018. -
When the Dodgers blew past their international bonus pool at the start of the 2015-16 signing period, Heredia received a $2.6 million bonus, more than any non-Cuban player signed by Los Angeles. He has a thick, muscular frame, with his strength headlining an advanced tool set. For his bulky size, Heredia is quick and athletic, with above-average speed, though he projects best as a corner outfielder with a good arm for right field. He has quick bat speed and flashes plus raw power. Though he's not a pure hitter, he made hard contact in the Dominican Republic. Some scouts wonder whether he was simply overpowering pitchers in the D.R. with his physical maturity, however. Heredia loads his swing with a big leg kick that can mess with his timing, but he tones it down with two strikes. Pitch recognition and strike-zone management are areas he must improve. He could develop into a player along the lines of Padres prospect outfielder Rymer Liriano. He will make his pro debut in 2016, probably in the Rookie-level Arizona League.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Heredia, who signed for $2.6 million in 2015, made a whirlwind trip through the lower levels of the Dodgers system in his U.S. debut. He began in the Rookie-level Arizona League before reporting to Ogden for 19 games and then finishing at low Class A Great Lakes. Heredia has a powerful build, with a thick neck and chest and muscular thighs, and he's established a regular routine to keep his big body in shape. At the plate, he makes hard contact with an aggressive swing. He struggled with breaking balls early in the season but quickly made adjustments and gained direction in his swing. His average speed plays up to above-average because of his instincts and quick jumps. Heredia played all three outfield positions with Ogden but profiles best in left field. He's still working on improving his below-average arm. "He's spirited and intelligent," Ogden manager Mark Kertenian said. "(As a) character and person, he's really, really solid."
