Cardinals release former first-rounder Tyler Herron
TOWER GROVE — Once among the highly regarded young pitchers in the St. Louis Cardinals system, righthander Tyler Herron, a first-round pick in the 2005 draft, has been released by the club, farm director/vice president Jeff Luhnow confirmed this afternoon.
Herron had been a member of the Class AA Springfield rotation, where he was 2-4 with a 4.34 ERA. In 45 2/3 innings this season the righthander had walked 22 and struck out 37. He is one start removed from throwing seven innings against Tulsa, allowing two hits, no earned runs and walking four. But Herron had seen a drop in his velocity and an overall dip in quality and command of his pitches. His performance was cited as a reason for the release.
“He was not progressing the way we needed or expected him to,” Luhnow wrote in a text message. “We need to give the valuable innings to other players who deserve the opportunity.”
The Cardinals selected Herron 46th overall in the 2005 draft, that same draft that netted them Colby Rasmus (28th), Tyler Greene (30th), Mark McCormick (43rd) and then Herron, the latter two of which came in the supplemental (or sandwich) round. Drafted out of a Palm Beach-area high school, Herron received a $675,000 signing bonus. Herron was a top 10 prospect in Baseball America’s 2008 Prospect Handbook — a list that I help put together with the editors of the trade publication — and he ranked 23rd in the current edition of the list. Herron was viewed by coaches and outside scouts as a young pitcher with a polished delivery.
Some, however, felt that he took a step back in 2008 when aggressively promoted to Class AA Springfield. Herron went 5-5 with a 5.20 ERA in 15 starts for the S-Cards in 2008, and he allowed 101 hits and 29 walks in 81 innings against 59 strikeouts. Opponents hit .304 against him last year.
Still, he went to winter ball and did well enough as a reliever that the Cardinals invited him to major-league spring training. He didn’t do poorly, but didn’t impress.
Herron’s performance this season was statistically reassuring. He went a span of six consecutive appearances pitching at least five innings and allowing two or fewer earned runs. In two of the starts — including the start mentioned above against Tulsa — he completed at least seven innings. The 22-year-old righthander lost his last start, allowing five earned runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
His release opens innings for a pitcher like David Kopp, who was recently promoted.
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
Wow, that was rash. There are a lot worse pitchers making a fine living in springfield. I think there is more to this we don’t know.
what a lame move… sure he wasnt progressing as a starter but why not switch him to relief before we throw him away? dumb move
Wow, that seems like a strange decision by Luhnow & Co. What are the chances that we aren’t hearing the truth about this? Did he have attitude problems or was he deemed uncoachable or something? What is your opinion on them releasing him DG? Maybe I’m reading into your article, but I got the sense that maybe you didn’t agree with the decision.
There’s probably something else going on here.
Was he involved in whatever got Maiques and Hooker suspended? Not PED drug suspensions, but a “drug of abuse”?
With the information given, I don’t get it… Move him to a bullpen. Move him down to Palm Beach. Move him to another club for unpolished talent. How do you just release a first rounder? More info to come?
Another good example of the Cardinals’–and Jeff Luhnow’s– inability to draft pitchers. That 2005 draft has been highly touted, but take a look at what has happened to all the supposedly promising pitchers in it. You won’t find much to get excited about in 2006, 2007, or 2008 either.
Another good example of the Cardinals’–and Jeff Luhnow’s– inability to draft pitchers. That 2005 draft has been highly touted, but take a look at what has happened to all the supposedly promising pitchers in it. You won’t find much to get excited about in 2006, 2007, or 2008 either.
There’s got to be something they aren’t saying. Herron has hit a wall but it would not have appeared to be a hopeless situation (on the field). Just finished reading “A False Spring” by Pat Jordan…maybe he pulled a few of those type of stunts (Drinking on the job, leaving the team,etc). That’s the only thing that makes sense, no matter what the organization is saying.
DG, any beat on who may be on their way up to take his roster spot?
maybe the kid was going nowhere and they were sending a message?
I know I’m supposed to be seeing something else here, but I can’t read between the lines. I wonder what’s going on.
In comparison to the other pitchers in Springfield, which collectively lead minor league baseball in walks allowed, Tyler Herron was actually their most dependable starter. It sounds more like releasing a guy because of an injury or personal issue. Ugly
Slow down everyone! First, don’t you realize that they probably tried to trade him first and there were no takers. That would mean that all other organizations know what ours knows. He’s done. Sometimes players just don’t pan out.
This seems odd not to trade a guy who has been fairly productive. It will be interesting to see if Mr Manno (ATL) or Mr Jockety (CIN) pick Herron up soon.
We are not getting the whole story here. Why can’t we have a decent farm team like the Dodgers, Angels, teams that always seem to find good young talent. We have better than in the past, but we could still step it up alot.
Hmmmm,from what I read,he sounds like the type of picther that the big club tries to sign and then hope Duncan can make Cy Young.
What’s the real deal on why he was released? Wonder how long it will be before we read how he’s doing good with some other club….LOL
Why couldn’t we package him in a trade for third baseman?? Seems like that should have been an option if he was rated that highly. Sure seems dumb to just release him.
Seems like a typical Cardinal move from the front office. Sounded like he was doing better. Awfully young to give up on.
Forgot ! Mabe his name sounded like that pitcher who came from the Cardinal organiztion and they called an untouchable then traded to A’s and he became an All-star for American League.
Huh? What the…? I’m shocked. He had a nice stint at Hi-A last year, no? He struggles for a little bit at AA and they punt him? … He’s only 22!?!
“…But Herron had seen a drop in his velocity and an overall dip in quality and command of his pitches. His performance was cited as a reason for the release…”
He’s injured? Or just needs a mechanical adjustment from good coaching? Something else unspoken? Really doesn’t make sense. The system is not *that* deep in pitching prospects.
Is there more to this story than what you are sharing? It sure doesn’t make sense to give up on a 22 year old who is working to find himself and for this season is experiencing some success. I don’t get this one. The moves the Cards make in the mid minors are as confusing as the ones they make with the big club.