Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

The Brewers’ international scouting department did an excellent job finding Herrera and signing him for just $10,000 in August of 2019. It wasn’t until 2023 that he gained any real traction, pitching well in his second go-round in the Single-A Carolina League. Things clicked more the following year as he made his way to High-A ball when he was sent to the Rockies in the Nick Mears trade that July. He threw very well upon his arrival, but got shut down after six starts and he needed Tommy John surgery, so he missed all of the 2025 season.

Herrera did return in time for instructional league play and was providing some optimism by dialing his fastball up to 97-98 mph in shorter stints. Before the injury, he was usually in the 92-94 mph range, getting groundball outs when he sinks it, but relying on his hard slider as his main out pitch. His feel to spin also helps him land a slightly slower curve and he has a changeup that he hadn’t committed to before he got hurt.

The new pitching group with the Rockies are excited about working with Herrera because of his ability to shape different pitches, all coming out of the same slot. He got in some competitive innings in winter ball and he’ll pitch most of the 2026 season at age 22, trying to show he has the stuff and command to stick in a rotation.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Herrera got just $10,000 to sign with the Brewers in August 2019 and didn’t really make any significant waves until 2023 when he turned in a solid season in the Carolina League, his second year at the level. He broke out in 2024, pitching his way to High-A when he was sent to the Rockies as part of the return for Nick Mears in a July trade; Herrera then made six more solid starts for his new organization. Excitement for Herrera’s acquisition was dampened when he needed Tommy John surgery at the end of the year, forcing him out for all of 2025.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander has three pitches in his arsenal that he was just starting to really learn how to use effectively when he went down. He typically throws his fastball in the 92-94 mph range and uses his hard above-average slider with bite as his go-to pitch. He misses plenty of bats with the pitch, showing the ability to backfoot lefties with it. He has a changeup, but it’s behind the other two offerings.

Because of that slider, Herrera’s strikeout rate took a nice step forward in 2024 and he uses the two-seam variation of his heater to get a lot of ground-ball outs. He threw a lot more strikes as well last year, but the Rockies will have to wait until 2026 to see if that sticks and if he can refine a third pitch so that he can stick in a rotation.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

One of the youngest players in the 2019-20 international signing class, Herrera couldn’t sign until he turned 16 on Aug. 17, 2019, a month and change after the signing period opened. He got just $10,000 to join the Milwaukee organization. Because of the pandemic, he wasn’t able to make his professional debut until 2021, when he threw 35 uneven innings in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League. He made it up to full-season ball in 2022, again with inconsistent results, but he made a nice step forward with a return to the Carolina League in 2023. After four relief outings with the Carolina Mudcats this season, he got bumped up to High-A Wisconsin and was pitching well there when he was sent to the Rockies as part of the Nick Mears trade, then continued to throw well in the Northwest League following the deal. His progress was halted with October Tommy John surgery, meaning he will miss the 2025 season.

Pitching at age 20 for most of the 2024 season, Herrera has the makings of a solid three-pitch mix coming from a 6-foot-3 frame. The right-hander’s fastball sits in the 92-94 mph range, and he backs it up with an above-average slider with good dropping action, and he can backfoot lefties with it. He also has a below-average changeup.

Herrera has missed a lot more bats in 2024 than he has previously, thanks largely to that breaking ball, and he continues to do a good job of getting ground-ball outs and throwing a good amount of strikes. If the changeup comes, he could have the chance to start, with the fastball-slider combination likely ticking up if he ends up in a bullpen.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to Colorado Rockies Prospects.
	11/06/2025	Spokane Indians activated RHP Yujanyer Herrera.
	10/15/2025	Cardenales de Lara activated RHP Yujanyer Herrera from the 60-day injured list.
	10/15/2025	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to Cardenales de Lara.
	03/19/2025	Spokane Indians placed RHP Yujanyer Herrera on the 60-day injured list.
	03/19/2025	Spokane Indians placed RHP Yujanyer Herrera on the 60-day injured list.
	03/19/2025	Spokane Indians placed RHP Yujanyer Herrera on the 60-day injured list.
	03/19/2025	Spokane Indians placed RHP Yujanyer Herrera on the 60-day injured list.
	09/25/2024	Spokane Indians activated RHP Yujanyer Herrera from the 7-day injured list.
	09/07/2024	Spokane Indians placed RHP Yujanyer Herrera on the 7-day injured list.
	07/31/2024	Spokane Indians activated RHP Yujanyer Herrera.
	07/27/2024	Colorado Rockies traded RHP Nick Mears to Milwaukee Brewers for RHP Bradley Blalock and RHP Yujanyer Herrera.
	07/27/2024	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to Spokane Indians.
	04/30/2024	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from Carolina Mudcats.
	05/16/2023	Carolina Mudcats activated RHP Yujanyer Herrera from the 7-day injured list.
	05/05/2023	Carolina Mudcats placed RHP Yujanyer Herrera on the 7-day injured list retroactive to May 4, 2023.
	08/16/2022	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to Carolina Mudcats from ACL Brewers Blue.
	04/05/2022	RHP Yujanyer Herrera and assigned to Milwaukee Brewers.
	09/10/2021	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to ACL Brewers Blue from ACL Brewers Gold.
	07/09/2021	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to ACL Brewers Gold from ACL Brewers Blue.
	07/05/2021	RHP Yujanyer Herrera assigned to ACL Brewers Blue.
	08/17/2019	Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent RHP Yujanyer Herrera to a minor league contract.