Yujanyer Herrera

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Colorado Rockies #30 prospect in 2026
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Adjusted Grade: 25
  
  Track Record: Herrera signed with the Brewers in 2019 and his production took a significant step forward during the first half of 2024 while with High-A Wisconsin, where he posted a 3.18 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 17 walks over 51 innings. Milwaukee traded him that July to the Rockies in a deal for Nick Mears. Herrera made six starts for High-A Spokane before an elbow injury sidelined him in September and required Tommy John surgery after the season. He missed all of 2025 but returned to pitch during the Rockies’ instructional league to promising results.
  
  Scouting Report: When Herrera returned to the mound in early September, both his fastball and sinker sat comfortably in the 94-96 mph range. He steadily increased his workload throughout the fall, often throwing multiple innings per outing as he rebuilds toward full pre-injury form. Herrera leans primarily on a fastball-slider combination but also mixes in a curveball and an above-average changeup, rounding out a four-pitch arsenal. His go-to secondary, a mid-80s gyro slider with tight, bullet-like spin, generated an elite 26.1% swinging-strike rate in 2024. Herrera’s diverse pitch mix keeps hitters off balance. Next up is for Herrera is refining his command, pitch sequencing and overall execution.
  
  The Future: Herrera has the ingredients to develop into a back-end starter with a fallback as a high-leverage reliever. Assuming he’s fully healthy, he should begin 2026 with High-A Spokane.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #13 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme.
  
  Track Record: Herrera signed with Milwaukee in July 2019 out of Venezuela, and he broke out in the first half of 2024 with High-A Wisconsin, where he pitched to a 3.18 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 17 walks in 51 innings. He was acquired by the Rockies in July 2024 as part of a two-prospect return from Milwaukee for Nick Mears. Herrera made six starts for High-A Spokane before he went on the injured list on Sept. 7 with an elbow injury. Herrera had Tommy John surgery following the season and will miss all of 2025.
  
  Scouting Report: Herrera has a six-pitch mix led by a pair of fastball variants that sit 92-94 mph and touch 99 mph at peak. Herrera’s four-seam has above-average armside run but below-average ride, his two-seamer is a true sinker with nearly 15-16 inches of armside run. The sinker is the better of the two pitches. His go-to secondary is a mid-80s gyro slider with tight bullet spin shape that generated swinging strikes at an elite rate of 26.1%. His upper-80s changeup with split-change tendencies and two breaking ball shapes see a solid amount of usage. His cutter sits 88-90 mph with true cutter shape and his curveball sits low-to-mid-80s with slurvy shape. Herrera shows above-average command of his entire arsenal. If he can prove he can stay healthy and handle a starter’s workload upon his return, he has the stuff to be a No. 4 starter.
  
  The Future: Herrera was emerging as a legitimate starting pitching prospect prior to his injury. He’ll miss all of 2025.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 55.