La Salle’s Herron named Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media Baseball Player of Decade
It was fitting that Jimmy Herron scored the deciding runs in both of La Salle baseball’s PIAA championship game victories.
Herron was a difference-maker in his four varsity season with the Explorers, his consistent stellar play helping to lead La Salle to league, district and state titles and also earned the Harleysville native The Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media Team of the Decade Tournament’s Player of the Decade honor.
A three-time Philadelphia Catholic League First Team selection as an outfielder, Herron – who went on to play at Duke University and be chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft – was a part of two sides that made the 16-team Team of the Decade field, the 2012 and 2014 La Salle squads that both advanced to the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Per tedsilary.com, Herron hit over .300 in all four of his high school varsity seasons, finishing his La Salle career with a .379 batting average – collecting 102 hits in 269 at-bats as during those seasons the Explorers won 20 of 25 playoff games, captured a pair of PIAA Class 4A championships, three District 12 titles and the 2013 Catholic League crown.
Along with his exploits on the diamond, Herron was a standout on the La Salle football team – a four-year varsity player who earned All-PCL Class 4A Division honors his last three seasons – making the first team as both a wide receiver and defensive back his senior year in 2014.
Herron’s total runs scored equaled his career hits, scoring 102 times in 90 games at La Salle. He collected 67 RBIs, connected on 25 doubles and had a trio of triples.
As a freshman on the 2012 PIAA 4A champs Herron hit .333 in 30 at-bats with seven RBIs and three doubles. As a pinch runner in the state final against Council Rock South, he scored on Mike Piscopo’s RBI single in the fourth to make it 2-0. The Explorers tacked on another run in the inning and held on for a 3-1 victory, winning the program’s first-ever PIAA title and finishing 24-3 overall.
As a sophomore in 2013, Herron posted career-best in batting average (.430), runs (35), hits (37) and RBIs (24) and triples (two) for an Explorer team that claimed its first Catholic League title since 2005.
In La Salle’s four PCL playoff games – two wins coming over St. Joseph’s Prep including a 10-0 victory over the Hawks in the final – Herron had a .571 average (eight hits in 14 at-bats), scored six times and drove in a run.
Herron finished with a .386 batting average his junior campaign that featured the Explorers winning a second PIAA Class 4A title in three seasons.
In 27 games, he had 32 hits, scored 32 runs, drove in 20 runs and hit a career-best eight doubles. The Explorers were denied a PCL repeat, but won a third straight District 12-4A title then followed that with four more victories in the state tournament.
Herron had a pair of hits in the 3-1 quarterfinal victory over Hazleton then scored a run as La Salle blanked Spring-Ford 3-0 in the semis. Against Conestoga in the state final, Herron had a hit, an RBI and scored twice – coming home for the first of two runs on Brian Buckley’s eighth-inning single that broke a 2-2 tie. La Salle made the margin stand and celebrated in State College after a 4-2 victory.
During the playoff run for the Explorers – who finished the 2014 season 21-6 – Herron paced the team with 10 runs scored and had a .318 batting average with seven hits and six RBIs.
As a senior, Herron hit for a .329 average over 23 games with seven doubles, 16 RBIs and 24 runs scored in earning All-Catholic League first team honors for the third consecutive season.
Herron continued his sterling play at the Division I level at Duke University, earning All-ACC second team and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors in 2016. He earned All-ACC second team honors again as a junior in 2018 as he became the first Duke player with 50-plus doubles and 50-plus stolen bases in a career.
In the 2018 MLB Draft, He went to be selected with 98th overall pick by the Cubs. Last July, Herron was traded to the Colorado Rockies and is currently on their Class A Advanced team the Lancaster Jethawks of the California League.
