Search Results - David Herrera

Odúbel Herrera

Odúbel David Herrera Jr. ( ; born December 29, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball center fielder for the Centauros de La Guaira of the Venezuelan Major League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Herrera grew up in Zulia, Venezuela, receiving the nickname "El Torito" (''the little bull'') from his father as a young baseball player. The Texas Rangers of MLB signed him as an international free agent in 2008, and he began playing the following year in the Dominican Summer League. Herrera spent the next several seasons rising through the Rangers' farm system, including back-to-back Texas League Midseason All-Star honors in 2013 and 2014. The Phillies selected Herrera in December 2014 during the Rule 5 draft. At that point, he had played most of his career at second base, but the Phillies were interested in his potential as an outfielder, and he made the opening day roster in 2015.

Herrera's first three seasons with the Phillies were marked by a strong offensive performance, including an All-Star selection in 2016, but he frequently clashed with manager Pete Mackanin in disagreements over base running. Mackanin repeatedly benched Herrera mid-game in the 2016 and 2017 seasons for a perceived lack of hustle, as well as ignoring coaches' signals on the base path. On May 27, 2019, Herrera was arrested for a domestic violence incident in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Charges were ultimately dropped, but MLB suspended him for the remainder of the season. Herrera was designated for assignment prior to the 2020 season, and the COVID-19 pandemic prevented him from playing in Minor League Baseball that year. He spent nearly two years away from American professional baseball before the Phillies re-signed him in 2021. Provided by Wikipedia