MLB Awards Watch 2015: Top 5 NL ROY end-of-season rankings
By Tim Haberin
5. Odubel Herrera
Sep 29, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera (37) hits a single during the fifth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
It was a rough year in Philadelphia, but that’s hardly anything new. The Phillies saw the departures of both players and front office personnel, some welcome (former GM Ruben Amaro Jr.) and others more bittersweet (Cole Hamels and Chase Utley). Every effort at Citizens Bank Park right now is aimed at rebuilding for the future, and outfielder Odubel Herrera made a very strong bid for a central role in those plans.
The Phils nabbed Herrera from the Rangers in last year’s Rule 5 Draft. After his first 70 games with Philadelphia, you could see why Texas might be willing to let him go. As June drew to a close, he sported a meager .251/.282/.359 slash line with just two homers and 18 RBI.
The rest of the season was a decidedly different story. From July 1 onward, Herrera hit at an astounding .335/.393/.467 rate. He is certainly not the most prolific power hitter or run producer, ending the year with eight home runs and 41 RBI. But there are plenty of other things to like about the 23-year-old’s game.
Herrera swiped 18 bags in 24 attempts, and the Phillies hope he can use his speed to develop into more of a stolen base threat down the line. He is also playing solid defense, covering a lot of ground in center field. That came in handy during Cole Hamels’ no-hitter on July 25 at Wrigley Field. Herrera’s rookie year was not without some blemishes (i.e. briefly landing in manager Pete Mackanin’s doghouse) but he’s been a definite bright spot on a team seeking reasons for optimism.
Next: Rookie #4