The Mets acquired second basemen Dilson Herrera from the Pirates in exchange for Marlon Byrd and John Buck. The Mets will also receive a player to be named later, so for right now I want to focus on Herrera.
The Pirates signed Herrera out Columbia in 2010 for a signing bonus of $220,000. Dilson, 19, stands 5’10” and weighs 150 pounds. He began his career as a shortstop, but has been transitioned to second base since. Last season he hit .286/.341/.489 with eight homers, 12 doubles, five triples and 12 stolen bases in 60 games– most being played in the Gulf Coast League with a brief promotion to the New York-Penn League. Herrera has followed his strong season with another one, hitting .265/.330/.421 through 109 games in the South Atlantic League this year. He’s also popped 11 homers, 27 doubles and has stolen 11 bases.
Coming into the 2013 season, Baseball America ranked Herrera the Pirates 20th best prospect. Here’s a snippet of what they had to say about him:
“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.”
“…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.”
Baseball Prospectus’ prospect guru Jason Parks had Herrera ranked slightly higher, just missing the top 10. Here’s what he thinks of our newest prospect:
“You can make a case that Herrera already belongs in the Top 10, after an impressive stateside debut in the Gulf Coast League. The 18-year-old Colombian has a very impressive hit tool and more power potential than people realize (plus), and despite his right-side-of-the-infield profile, some scouts are high enough on the offensive potential to suggest he has a first-division future if everything clicks.”
ESPN’s Keith Law also had some great things to say about Herrera, as he analyzed the trade today:
“Playing full-time at age 19 in the low Class A Sally League, Herrera has shown somewhat surprising pop, with a .156 isolated power and 41 extra-base hits in 109 games. He’s got a simple, quiet approach, just loading his hands a little higher than he should, with adequate hip rotation for 15-20 homer power at his peak.”
“I’d call him a future everyday second baseman, a solid regular with a chance to be an above-average one.”
It appears that the Mets did well in this trade. Herrera seems to be a future piece for this team. You have to love the power potential from the second base spot, and everything I’ve read suggests he’ll be an above-average defender as well. I have to admit when I heard the Mets were trading Byrd and Buck I did not expect much of a return. Sandy appears to have done a good job at acquiring a solid prospect for two players who aren’t expected to have a future with the Mets.
Side Note: Law also mentioned that his sources have told him that the player to be named later will be a “solid” piece. So this deal may get even better.
It was a great trade. He’s a rising prospect with all the tools needed for his position and the maturity at 19 to play successfully in another country and in a league where he is a year or two younger than the average player.
Assuming health, it’s as likely he teams with Nimmo at the top of the order and they develop together for the next few years as it is he’s used as a strong chip at next year’s or a future deadline. Either way, a real win for a team not going anywhere in the next month but with the potential to contend for the playoffs soon.
Well said.