It was only a sneak peek, a brief four-at-bat glimpse of Class AA’s rigors that the Cardinals offered catching prospect Ivan Herrera at the end of his first full summer playing in the United States. At 18, he was nearly six years younger than the average age in the Texas League, and the Cardinals didn’t hastily quantum-leap him four levels because of their need. They wanted to see what he learned.
Farm director Gary LaRocque approached Herrera the next spring training with that question.