Ronald José Herrera Aular (born May 3, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Guerreros de Lara of the Venezuelan Major League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees.
Herrera signed as an international free agent with the Oakland Athletics in December 2011. He made his professional debut in 2012 with the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Athletics, going 2âÂÂ4 with a 2.47 ERA in 58 innings. His 2013 season was split between the Rookie-level Arizona Athletics and the LowâÂÂA Vermont Lake Monsters, accumulating a 7âÂÂ4 record with a 4.02 ERA in 77 innings.
On May 28, 2014, the Athletics traded Herrera and Jake Goebbert to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Kyle Blanks. He split that season between the SingleâÂÂA Beloit Snappers and the SingleâÂÂA Fort Wayne TinCaps, accumulating a 6âÂÂ9 record with a 3.92 ERA in 132.1 innings. In 2015, he split the season between the HighâÂÂA Lake Elsinore Storm and the Double-A San Antonio Missions, accumulating a 8âÂÂ7 record with a 4.08 ERA in 145.2 innings.
On November 11, 2015, the New York Yankees acquired Herrera from the Padres in exchange for José Pirela. His 2016 season was split between the Double-A Trenton Thunder, and the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, accumulating a 10âÂÂ8 record with a 3.94 ERA in 137 innings. On April 26, 2016, Herrera pitched eight innings of a joint no-hitter for the Trenton Thunder, with Jonathan Holder completing the game.
On November 19, 2016, the Yankees added Herrera to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. His 2017 season was split between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Yankees, Trenton, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, accumulating a 8âÂÂ1 record with a 1.91 ERA in 75 innings. He was named the Eastern League's Pitcher of the Week for June 5âÂÂ11.
The Yankees promoted Herrera to the major leagues on June 14, 2017. He appeared in two major league games in 2017, recording a 0âÂÂ1 record with a 6.00 ERA in 3 innings.
On November 20, 2017, the Yankees traded Herrera to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Reiver Sanmartin. Herrera missed the 2018 season with a shoulder injury, and the Rangers outrighted him off their 40-man roster following the season. Herrera started the 2019 season on the injured list with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds as he recovered from shoulder surgery. He split the season between Nashville and the Frisco RoughRiders, going a combined 3âÂÂ10 with a 7.73 ERA in 79 innings. Herrera elected free agency following the season on November 4.
On March 2, 2021, Herrera signed with the New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier League. In 6 starts for the Jackals, Herrera compiled a 2âÂÂ2 record and 4.68 ERA with 23 strikeouts across innings pitched.
On February 9, 2022, Herrera signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals organization. He spent the year with the DoubleâÂÂA Harrisburg Senators, also appearing in one game for the TripleâÂÂA Rochester Red Wings. In 24 starts for Harrisburg, he registered a 5-9 record and 4.40 ERA with 114 strikeouts in 129 innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 10.
On December 2, 2022, Herrera reâÂÂsigned with the Nationals on a new minor league contract. He made only 5 starts for Harrisburg in 2023, recording a 4.81 ERA with 29 strikeouts across innings pitched. Herrera elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2023.
In 2025, Herrera signed with the Guerreros de Lara of the Venezuelan Major League.