Elián Herrera Dominguez (born February 1, 1985) is a Dominican former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
utility player
In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water polo.
The ...
. Herrera played for the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
and
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB), and the
Yokohama DeNA BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japan, Japanese Central League. Their home field is Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The team has been known by several names since becoming a professional team in 1950. It adopted its c ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
. He played
second base,
third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
,
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
and all three
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
positions in his career.
Career
Los Angeles Dodgers
A native of the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, Herrera signed with the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
as an undrafted free agent in 2006 and began play with the rookie class
Gulf Coast Dodgers
The Arizona Complex League Dodgers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The team is compo ...
, where he was selected as a
Gulf Coast League
The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...
All-Star. In 2007, he played at three levels, with the rookie class
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Ogden, Utah and play their home games at Lindquist Field.
Pitche ...
, Class-A
Great Lakes Loons
The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007.
Histor ...
and A-Advanced
Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino
The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The 66ers are based in San Bernardino, California, and play at San Manuel Stadium.
Franchise ...
. Overall, he appeared in 70 games and hit .255. He appeared in only 37 games in 2008, for the same three teams, and hit .292.
In 2010, Herrera played in 97 games for the AA
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...
, hitting .258 and also stole 31 bases. He also played in 25 games in AAA for the
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an el ...
, where he hit .229. For the 2011 season he played exclusively for Chattanooga, appearing in 116 games, hitting .278 and stealing 33 bases.
Herrera began the 2012 season with Albuquerque and had his contract purchased by the Dodgers when he was called up to the Majors for the first time on May 14, 2012. He made his Major League debut as a
pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute Batting (baseball), batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the dead ball (baseball), ball is dead (not in active play); the manager (baseball), manager may use any player who has not yet ...
on May 15 against the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
and popped out. He recorded his first hit, an RBI double, in the first inning of his first start, on May 16 against the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
. He hit his first Major League home run on July 5, 2012 off of
Wade Miley
Wade Allen Miley (born November 13, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Miley in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the ...
of the Diamondbacks. He appeared in 67 games with the Dodgers in 2012, batting .251
In 2013, Herrera had a couple of brief Major League call-ups but only appeared in 4 games, where he had 2 hits in 8 at-bats. He was also in 108 games at Albuquerque, where he hit .282.
Milwaukee Brewers
![Elian Herrera fielding 2014 Brewers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Elian_Herrera_fielding_2014_Brewers.jpg)
On November 4, 2013, he was claimed off waivers by the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
.
On July 13, 2014, Herrera had a career high five hits in one game against the Cardinals. He was the sixth player to do that hitting out of the eighth spot in the last twenty years.
On June 2, 2015, Herrera was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
.
On July 30, 2015, he re-joined the Brewers following the
Carlos Gómez
Carlos Argelis Gómez Peña, nicknamed Go-Go, (born December 4, 1985) is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays ...
and
Mike Fiers
Michael Bruce Fiers (; born June 15, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics. Fiers has ...
trade to the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
. The Brewers did not tender him a contract for the 2016 season, making him a free agent.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On December 26, 2015, Herrera returned to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
on a minor league contract. He was given a non-roster invitation to Dodgers spring training and he was assigned to the Triple-A
Oklahoma City Dodgers
The Oklahoma City Dodgers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their home games at Chickasaw Bricktown Bal ...
to begin the season. He was released on May 14.
Yokohama DeNA BayStars
On June 1, 2016, Herrera signed with the
Yokohama DeNA BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japan, Japanese Central League. Their home field is Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The team has been known by several names since becoming a professional team in 1950. It adopted its c ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
. He became a free agent after the 2017 season.
Diablos Rojos del México
On July 6, 2018, Herrera signed with the
Diablos Rojos del México
The Diablos Rojos del Mexico (English: Mexico Red Devils) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Mexico City, Mexico. The team was founded in 1940 by Salvador Lutteroth and Ernesto Carmona. The Diablos Rojos play their hom ...
of the
Mexican League
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
. He was released on July 18, 2018.
Coaching career
On January 16, 2019, Herrera was announced as the bench coach for the
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and play their home games at LoanMart Field.
The franc ...
in the Dodgers farm system. For 2020, he was assigned to the same role for the
Great Lakes Loons
The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007.
Histor ...
.
References
External links
NPB.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herrera, Elian
1985 births
Living people
Águilas Cibaeñas players
Albuquerque Isotopes players
Chattanooga Lookouts players
Colorado Springs Sky Sox players
Diablos Rojos del México players
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Japan
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Estrellas Orientales players
Great Lakes Loons players
Guerreros de Oaxaca players
Gulf Coast Dodgers players
Inland Empire 66ers players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball second basemen
Major League Baseball shortstops
Major League Baseball third basemen
Major League Baseball outfielders
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
Mexican League baseball left fielders
Minor league baseball coaches
Milwaukee Brewers players
Nashville Sounds players
Nippon Professional Baseball second basemen
Nippon Professional Baseball third basemen
Ogden Raptors players
Oklahoma City Dodgers players
Tigres del Licey players
Yaquis de Obregón players
Yokohama DeNA BayStars players