Odúbel Herrera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Odúbel Herrera |
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Herrera with the Phillies in 2019
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| Centauros de La Guaira – No. 27 | |||
| Center fielder | |||
| Born: December 29, 1991 Zulia, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| April 6, 2015, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) |
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| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 78 | ||
| Runs batted in | 302 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Odúbel David Herrera Jr. (born December 29, 1991) is a professional baseball player from Venezuela. He plays as a center fielder for the Centauros de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Major League. He also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Herrera grew up in Zulia, Venezuela. His father gave him the nickname "El Torito," which means the little bull. The Texas Rangers signed him in 2008. He started playing in the Dominican Summer League in 2009. Herrera moved up through the Rangers' minor league teams. He was named an All-Star twice in the Texas League.
The Phillies chose Herrera in the Rule 5 draft in December 2014. He had mostly played second base before. But the Phillies saw his talent as an outfielder. He joined their main team in 2015. His first three seasons with the Phillies were strong. He was even chosen for the All-Star Game in 2016. However, he sometimes had disagreements with his manager, Pete Mackanin, about how he played on the bases.
In May 2019, Herrera faced a personal conduct issue. MLB suspended him for the rest of the season. He did not play in American professional baseball for almost two years. The Phillies then re-signed him in 2021.
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Early Life and Nickname
Odúbel Herrera was born in San José de Zulia, Venezuela, on December 29, 1991. His father, Odúbel Herrera Sr., was a farmer and also played second base in a local baseball league. Odúbel's mother, Nerida, named him after his father. His middle name, David, honored Venezuelan shortstop Dave Concepción.
Herrera and his father started taking baseball seriously when he was 12. He also played volleyball in high school. This helped him become a strong athlete. Because he was "strong and powerful" as a child, his father called him "El Torito." This Spanish nickname means "the little bull."
Baseball Journey
Starting with the Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers signed Herrera in 2008. He began his professional career in 2009 in the Dominican Summer League (DSL). In 58 games, he batted .280. He also had 47 runs scored and 24 runs batted in (RBIs). He played most of these games at shortstop.
The next year, Herrera played for the Rookie-level Arizona League Rangers. He batted .337 and had 31 RBIs. He was named to the Arizona League Postseason All-Star Team. In 2011, Herrera played second base for the Single–A Hickory Crawdads. He was a League All-Star, batting .306. He also had 26 doubles and 56 RBIs. He stole 36 bases that year.
In 2012, Herrera moved up to the High–A Myrtle Beach Pelicans. He tied a Carolina League record by reaching base safely in 20 games in a row. He batted .257 for the year. He hit two home runs and had 30 RBIs.
During 2013 and 2014, Herrera played for the Pelicans and the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders. He was a Texas League Mid-Season All-Star in both years. In 2014, he won the Texas League batting title with a .321 average. He also started playing in the outfield for 13 games. He continued playing outfield in the Venezuelan Winter League. There, he batted .372 and won the league's Most Valuable Player award.
Time with the Philadelphia Phillies
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The Philadelphia Phillies chose Herrera in the Rule 5 draft on December 11, 2014. Even though he was a second baseman, the Phillies wanted him as an outfielder. They were looking for young, athletic players.
Herrera made his major league debut on April 6, 2015. He was the Phillies' starting center fielder. His first major league hit was a walk-off RBI double on April 12. On July 25, Herrera made two amazing catches. These catches helped Cole Hamels pitch a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs. Herrera finished his first season leading the Phillies in batting (.297). He also led in runs scored (64) and doubles (30).
Herrera worked hard in the offseason before 2016. He wanted to improve his hitting. He became more patient at the plate and drew more walks. He was chosen for his first All-Star Game in 2016. He finished the season batting .286. He had 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. He also stole 25 bases. Herrera was a finalist for the 2016 National League Gold Glove Award. On December 15, 2016, the Phillies signed Herrera to a five-year contract.
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In 2017, Herrera continued to hit well. He doubled in six games in a row in June. This tied a Phillies record. He sometimes had issues with his manager, Pete Mackanin, for not following signals on the bases. Despite this, he batted .281 for the season. He had 14 home runs and 56 RBIs.
Herrera started the 2018 season with a long streak of reaching base. This was the fourth-longest in Phillies history. On May 7, he got his 500th career hit. In June, he hit a home run in five games in a row. This tied another Phillies record. He set new career highs with 22 home runs and 71 RBIs.
In 2019, Herrera was the Phillies' starting center fielder. However, his season ended early. On May 28, he was placed on administrative leave. On July 5, MLB announced that Herrera had violated the league's policy. He was suspended for the rest of the season. He played in 39 games before his suspension. He batted .222 with one home run.
Herrera was removed from the Phillies' main roster in January 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the minor league season that year. This meant Herrera could not play. The Phillies invited him to spring training in 2021. He returned to the major leagues on April 26, 2021. He finished the 2021 season batting .260. He had 13 home runs and 51 RBIs in 124 games.
On March 16, 2022, the Phillies re-signed Herrera for one year. He missed the start of the 2022 season due to an injury. On August 2, 2022, the Phillies removed him from their roster. He batted .238 with 5 home runs in 62 games.
Other Teams
After leaving the Phillies, Herrera played for other teams. On June 21, 2023, he signed with the Kansas City Monarchs. This team is part of the American Association of Professional Baseball. In 55 games, he batted .292. He had four home runs and 20 RBIs.
In 2024, Herrera played in the Mexican League. He signed with the Pericos de Puebla on May 14, 2024. He then moved to the Acereros de Monclova on June 11, 2024. He was traded back to the Pericos de Puebla on September 19, 2024.
As of April 17, 2025, Herrera signed with the Centauros de La Guaira. This team is in the Venezuelan Major League.
Player Style
Herrera became known for his good judgment when hitting. He chose which pitches to swing at carefully. His manager, Pete Mackanin, once called him a "perennial .300" batter. Herrera worked on this skill after his first season. He wanted to strike out less often. He is a left-handed batter. He stands wide at the plate and angles his right leg towards first base. This helps him hit pitches thrown inside.
While he is good at hitting, his base running has sometimes been criticized. Phillies coaches and managers have said he sometimes ignored signals. They also noted he did not always run as hard as he could.
Herrera is also known for his "bat flipping." He often flips his bat after a hit or even a walk. This is more common in Venezuela, where he learned to play. After a good hit, he also taps his hands against his helmet. He makes a gesture like bull horns. This is a nod to his "El Torito" nickname.
Personal Life
Odúbel Herrera has two daughters, Ana Paula and Danna Victoria.
When he first joined the Phillies, Herrera spoke mostly Spanish. He learned English by listening to his teammates. The Phillies did not have a full-time Spanish-English translator in 2015. So, Herrera used bilingual teammates like Andres Blanco to talk to reporters.
Personal Conduct Issue
In May 2019, Herrera was involved in a personal conduct issue. MLB investigated the situation. On July 5, MLB announced that he had violated their policy. He was suspended for the rest of the 2019 season. This suspension was for 85 regular season games.
The Phillies allowed Herrera to play again in 2021. The team's president, Dave Dombrowski, talked with organizations that help with personal conduct issues. Herrera apologized for the incident in March 2021. He said he knew he might not be forgiven by everyone. He also planned to talk to each of his teammates. Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins said it was up to Herrera to regain the team's trust. Pitcher Aaron Nola said he believed in second chances.
See also
In Spanish: Odubel Herrera para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
