RHP Kelvin Herrera, $1,600,000
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Kelvin Herrera is a flame throwing right-hander who can be counted on in the later innings of ball games. He was part of a devastating bullpen for the Royals in the 2014 regular season and postseason that more than held its own in close ball games.
The 25-year old Dominican may have future seasons where he could be called upon to be a closer, but for now this dream team is more than content with allowing Herrera to work situational match-ups in the seventh and eighth inning of games. Herrera threw a fastball in 2014 that maxed out at 101.4 mph. It’s average velocity showed a mark of 96.4 mph on radar guns throughout last year. Opponents hit .217 against it and posted an overall BAA of .211 as a whole versus Herrera. It more than translated to success for him, with an ERA of 1.41 and a FIP of 2.69.
Herrera is arbitration eligible after the 2016 season and under Kansas City’s control through the 2018 season. With current closer Greg Holland costing the Royals $8.25 million in 2015 and set to be a free agent after 2016, it’s very likely Herrera could be the clubs closer of the future if he can maintain his lifetime 2.56 ERA and 8.8 K/9 moving forward.