José Herrera (catcher)

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = José Herrera

|team = Arizona Diamondbacks

|number = 11

|position = Catcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|2|24|df=y}}

|birth_place = San Carlos, Venezuela

|bats = Switch

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = 9 April

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = Arizona Diamondbacks

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = May 1, 2025

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .199

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 2

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 27

|teams =

Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2022}}–present)

}}

José Gregorio Herrera (born 24 February 1997) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.

Career

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed Herrera as a free agent on 8 July 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-abn-baseball-clinton-cougars-st-0409-20170408-story.html|title = Switch-hitter Jose Herrera hopes to break out as catcher for Cougars|website = Chicago Tribune}} Herrera made his professional debut in 2014, spending time with the Arizona League Diamondbacks and the rookie-level Missoula Osprey. In 2015, Herrera spent the year with the AZL Diamondbacks, hitting .304/.415/.380 in 24 games with the team. He returned to Missoula the following season, posting a slash of .277/.351/.438 with 5 home runs and 18 RBI in 36 appearances. Herrera split the 2017 season between the AZL Diamondbacks and the Single-A Kane County Cougars, with whom he spent the majority of the year. In 66 games between the two affiliates, Herrera slashed .227/.291/.318 with 1 home run and 29 RBI.{{Cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=herrer014jos | title=Jose Herrera Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History }}

On 10 April 2018, Herrera was suspended 50 games after testing positive for methylhexaneamine and oxilofrine, which were both listed as banned substances under the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.{{Cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/news/arizona-diamondbacks-jose-herrera-suspended-50-games-271631810 | title=D-backs' Herrera suspended 50 games }} Herrera only played in 38 games in 2018 due to the suspension. In 2019, Herrera split the year between Kane County and the High-A Visalia Rawhide, slashing .252/.383/.371 with 5 home runs and 43 RBI in 90 total games. Herrera 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|title=2020 Minor League Season Canceled|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/06/2020-minor-league-season-will-be-canceled.html|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He split the 2021 season between the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles and the Triple-A Reno Aces, batting a combined .258/.364/.422 with career-highs in home runs (11) and RBI (57).{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}

The Diamondbacks added him to their 40-man roster following the season on 8 November 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-jose-herrera-contract-selected-by-arizona/|title = Diamondbacks' Jose Herrera: Contract selected by Arizona}} Herrera made the Diamondbacks' Opening Day roster in 2022 as the backup to starting catcher Carson Kelly.{{Cite web | url=https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/4/7/23007431/initial-analysis-of-the-diamondbacks-2022-opening-day-roster | title=Initial analysis of the Diamondbacks 2022 Opening Day roster | date=7 April 2022 }} He made his MLB debut on 9 April 2022, as the starting catcher against the San Diego Padres.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} In 47 games during his rookie campaign, Herrera hit .189/.250/.207 with no home runs and 5 RBI.

In 2023, Herrera played in 43 games for the Diamondbacks, batting .208/.296/.257 with no home runs and 7 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Diamondbacks option Jose Herrera to Triple-A, reassign Kevin Newman to minor league camp|url=https://arizonasports.com/story/3544894/diamondbacks-option-jose-herrera-to-triple-a-reassign-kevin-newman-to-minor-league-camp/|access-date=March 25, 2024|website=arizonasports.com|language=en}} Herrera was optioned to Triple–A Reno to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=NL West Notes: McCarthy, Barnhart, Molina, Slater|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/nl-west-notes-mccarthy-barnhart-molina-slater.html|access-date=March 25, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}