FANGRAPHS - 2B - Dilson Herrera

Hit: 45/55, Game Power: 45/50, Raw Power: 50/50, Run: 50/50+, Field: 45/50, Throw: 45/45+

Note: From now on, when I list scouting grades for a player in an article, they will appear on his player page in real time, so pop over to Herrera’s page and marvel at technology.

Using the process from the org prospect list format, the triple slash line upside for Herrera is .280/.345/.430.  This is taking the projected tools above, converting them into stats (i.e. 55 bat converts to .270s batting average), then rounding up a bit (how much for each tool depends on the player) to account for “upside” rather than “projected output.”

Dilson Herrera is a bit of a grinder, with one scout comparing him to Mark Ellis.  That may not be what Mets fans are hoping for from a hotshot prospect that hit his way from A-Ball to the big leagues in his age 20 season, but part of the appeal with Herrera is how quickly he reached his ceiling (or close to it).

He was a known prospect on the July 2nd circuit from Colombia but only got a $220,000 bonus, with multiple millionaires from him class looking like total busts already.  This was due in part to Herrera’s 5’10 stature, the fact that he wouldn’t fit at shortstop in the big leagues, he isn’t a quick-twitch athlete and his swing is a little funny.  He’s worked his way to being an average second baseman, which was also in doubt at one point, and will post average to slightly above run times.

Herrera loads his hands up (behind his ear) rather than back (at or below shoulder height) like most hitters do.  This normally creates length to a swing, with the quick downward motion to start a swing often leading to more downward motion than is necessary and a loop to the swing path.  Herrera has had to prove it for the past few years, but he has very good awareness of the bat head, feel to hit, bat control or whatever you want to call it and he makes more consistent hard contact that almost any other hitter with this swing.

Being this advanced at the plate at 20 often leads to All-Star upside, but as I mentioned above, Herrera isn’t that kind of guy physically.  He’s a solid 50 for most scouts and he may reach that ceiling by Opening Day next year.  Not bad for one of the two players (along with Vic Black) the Mets received from Pittsburgh last season in exchange for two rentals (Marlon Byrd and John Buck).