Iván Herrera

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Iván Herrera

|image = Iván Herrera (52942245875) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Herrera with the Memphis Redbirds in 2023

|team = St. Louis Cardinals

|number = 48

|position = Catcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|6|1}}

|birth_place = Panama City, Panama

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = May 24

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = St. Louis Cardinals

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = June 14, 2025

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .294

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 12

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 63

|teams =

St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|2022}}–present)

}}

Iván Aaron Herrera ({{Respell|ee|VAHN}}; born June 1, 2000) is a Panamanian professional baseball catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.

Career

Herrera signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as an international free agent on July 7, 2016.{{cite web|author=foxsports |url=https://www.foxsports.com/midwest/story/st-louis-cardinals-add-three-more-players-to-international-free-agent-class-071516 |title=Cardinals add three more players to international free agent class |work=FOX Sports |date=July 15, 2016 |access-date=May 4, 2021}}

Herrera made his professional debut in 2017 with the Rookie League Dominican Summer League Cardinals, batting .335 with one home run and 27 RBI over 49 games.{{cite web |author=Dave Reynolds |url=https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20190416/lofty-goals-for-peoria-chiefs-teenage-catcher-ivan-herrera |title=Lofty goals for Peoria Chiefs teenage catcher Ivan Herrera - Sports - Journal Star - Peoria, IL |publisher=Pjstar.com |date=April 16, 2019 |access-date=May 4, 2021 |archive-date=November 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103194039/https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20190416/lofty-goals-for-peoria-chiefs-teenage-catcher-ivan-herrera |url-status=dead }} In 2018, he spent a majority of the year with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Cardinals while also playing in two games with the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League at the end of the year. Over 30 appearances with both affiliates, Herrera hit .336 with one home run and 25 RBI.{{cite web|author=Brian Walton |url=https://thecardinalnation.com/2018-gulf-coast-league-cardinals-team-review/ |title=2018 Gulf Coast League Cardinals Team Review |publisher=The Cardinal Nation |date=September 11, 2018 |access-date=May 4, 2021}} Herrera began the 2019 season with the Peoria Chiefs of the Single-A Midwest League before being promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the High-A Florida State League in July; over 87 games between the two clubs, he slashed .284/.374/.405 with nine home runs and 47 RBI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cards-notebook-bader-learning-patience-as-he-tries-to-shorten-his-slumps/article_e4babd2f-9bf3-5bd2-92bb-47a348d3274b.html|title=Cards notebook: Bader learning patience as he tries to shorten his slumps|first=Derrick|last=Goold|website=STLtoday.com|date=September 25, 2019 }} After the season, he was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League with the Glendale Desert Dogs, with whom he was named an All-Star.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/top-hitting-prospects-in-arizona-fall-league |title=Top hitting prospects in Arizona Fall League |work=Mlb.com |date= |access-date=May 4, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2019-mlb-arizona-fall-league-all-star-game-rosters-announced/|title=2019 MLB Arizona Fall League All-Star Game Rosters Announced|first=Mark|last=Chiarelli|website=www.baseballamerica.com|date=October 8, 2019 }}

Herrera was a non-roster invite to 2020 spring training.{{cite web|author=RotoWire Staff |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cardinals-ivan-herrera-will-join-big-league-camp/ |title=Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Will join big-league camp |publisher=CBSSports.com |date= January 31, 2020|access-date=May 4, 2021}} He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web | last=West | first=Jenna | title=Minor League Baseball's 2020 Season Canceled | website=SI.com | date=June 30, 2020 | url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/30/minor-league-baseball-season-canceled-2020-coronavirus | access-date=February 9, 2025}} On November 20, 2020, the Cardinals added Herrera to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite news|url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/cards-protect-catcher-herrera-from-rule-5-draft-add-him-to-roster/article_2c05305a-e21b-52c0-904c-846ef7a716ca.html|title=Cards protect catcher Herrera from Rule 5 draft, add him to roster|first=Rick|last=Hummel|website=STLtoday.com}} Herrera spent the majority of the 2021 season with Springfield, slashing .231/.346/.408 with 17 home runs and 63 RBI over 98 games.{{cite web|last=Parker |first=Chris |url=https://www.ozarkssportszone.com/2021/04/30/springfield-cardinals-announce-2021-preliminary-opening-day-roster/ |title=Springfield Cardinals announce 2021 preliminary Opening Day roster |publisher=O-zarks Sports Zone |date=April 30, 2021 |access-date=May 4, 2021}} He played in one game for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds to end the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2021/9/21/22685457/lester-outduels-peralta-and-cards-extend-winning-streak-to-nine-with-5-2-win-over-the-brewers|title=Lester Outduels Peralta, and Cards Extend Winning Streak to Nine with 5-2 Win over the Brewers|date=September 21, 2021}}

Herrera began the 2022 season with Memphis.{{cite web | last=Guerrero | first=Daniel | title=Pipeline isn't loaded, but several top-end prospects could help the Cardinals soon | website=STLtoday.com | date=February 5, 2025 | url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/professional/mlb/cardinals/pipeline-isnt-loaded-but-several-top-end-prospects-could-help-the-cardinals-soon/article_45c95398-ce17-5238-a199-9605b8092a01.html | access-date=February 9, 2025}} On May 23, 2022, the Cardinals promoted Herrera to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/what-to-expect-from-ivan-herrera-in-mlb | title=What to expect from Iván Herrera | website=MLB.com }} He made his MLB debut the next day.{{cite web | last=Guerrero | first=Daniel | title='I felt like I was at home': Herrera's MLB debut gives catching prospect a taste of the big leagues | website=STLtoday.com | date=February 5, 2025 | url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/professional/mlb/cardinals/i-felt-like-i-was-at-home-herreras-mlb-debut-gives-catching-prospect-a-taste/article_7f9bfe6d-2885-537b-9139-c90d11754b17.html | access-date=February 9, 2025}} He collected his first career hit on June 26, knocking a single off of Chicago Cubs starter Alec Mills.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/video/herrera-s-first-hit-in-the-mlb | title=Herrera's first hit in the Majors | 06/26/2022 | website=MLB.com }} Herrera appeared in 11 games for St. Louis during his rookie campaign, going 2-for-18 (.111) with six RBI.{{Cite web|title=Ivan Herrera 2022 batting Stats Per Game|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/41889/year/2022/category/batting|access-date=May 29, 2025|website=espn.com|language=en}} He spent the majority of the season with Memphis, hitting .268/.374/.396 with six home runs, 34 RBI, and five stolen bases.

Herrera was optioned to Memphis to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Optioned to Memphis|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cardinals-ivan-herrera-optioned-to-memphis-862019/|access-date=March 19, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=March 16, 2023 |language=en}} He made 18 appearances for St. Louis on the year, hitting .297/.409/.351 either four RBI and five walks.{{Cite web|title=Ivan Herrera 2023 batting Stats Per Game|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/41889/year/2023/category/batting|access-date=May 29, 2025|website=espn.com|language=en}} Herrera made 72 appearances for the Cardinals during the 2024 campaign, slashing .301/.372/.428 with career-highs in home runs (5), RBI (27), and stolen bases (5).{{Cite web|title=Ivan Herrera 2024 batting Stats Per Game|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/41889/year/2024/category/batting|access-date=May 29, 2025|website=espn.com|language=en}} He was named to the All-Tournament team for the 2024 Caribbean Series, while playing winter league baseball for the Federales de Chiriquí of the Panamanian Professional Baseball League.{{cite web |title=Así quedó el Equipo Todos Estrellas de la Serie del Caribe 2024 |url=https://www.mlb.com/es/news/asi-quedo-el-equipo-todos-estrellas-de-la-serie-del-caribe-2024 |website=MLB.com |access-date=February 17, 2024 |language=es}}

On April 2, 2025, Herrera hit three home runs against the Los Angeles Angels and scored six RBI in the game. Herrera not only recorded his first multi-homer game of his career but also became the first catcher in Cardinals history to hit three homers in a game.{{cite web | last=Denton | first=John | title=Iván Herrera hits three home runs in Cardinals' win | website=MLB.com | date=2025-04-02 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ivan-herrera-hits-three-home-runs-in-cardinals-win | access-date=2025-06-06}}