SALT LAKE CITY — During a Zoom call with reporters on Saturday, Kyle Beckerman was asked if he’s noticed any breakout players emerge for Real Salt Lake at the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando.
He mentioned young forward Douglas Martinez and a couple of other players, but the player he specifically highlighted was defender Aaron Herrera.
In reality, Herrera can hardly be considered a breakout player as he’s started 53 matches since signing from the RSL Academy in 2018, including starting five playoff games.
Beckerman’s comments were based more on the level Herrera has reached with his performances at MLS is Back.
“From Game 1 and on, I really feel like he’s playing national-team level soccer. He’s just so powerful and skillful. I really feel like he’s taken his game to the next level, and I’m really excited to see what the future holds for him. It’s great for us,” said Beckerman.
RSL’s captain knows a thing or two about the qualities a U.S. national team player must possess, having been capped 58 times in his career, including starting three World Cup games in 2014.
One of Herrera’s biggest attributes is his size, something new RSL keeper Zac MacMath noticed when he first arrived for preseason back in January.
“Aaron was one of the guys when I first got to preseason, I was like, ‘Wow, this kid’s got it,’” said MacMath. “Physically, he’s an animal. He can run up and down the line. Defensively, he’s great with his feet. For Aaron, it’s about pushing himself to get to that level, and as you can see he’s starting to do that throughout the games. The more disciplined he is defensively the better he is, and the more free he is going forward the better he is, so he’s just got to play his game and have the support of the guys behind him and I think he’ll do great things.”
At 5-foot-11, 161 pounds, he’s got the size to hold his own against taller wingers and forwards in MLS and the speed to match them as well.
RSL coach Freddy Juarez has known Herrera since he was a youth player growing up in New Mexico, and he’s had a front-row seat for development of his career over the past decade — including coaching him at the RSL Academy.
He said Herrera’s confidence is one of his greatest attributes, and one of the next steps in his development is his overall defensive awareness.
“He knows first and foremost you’ve got to be a very good defender, and I think he has that. He can deal with duals. We had a talk a little bit before here that it’s also the collective defending — it’s not just good enough to be a good individual defender. What’s the tactical plan? What’s your role within the team defensive concept?” said Juarez.
Going back to their academy days together, Juarez said he’s challenged Herrera to be a student of the game to work to make professional soccer a career, not just earn one or two contracts.
The biggest area of growth for Herrera to establish himself as one of the best right backs in MLS and be on the U.S. national team radar is his development in the attack.
A year ago, he recorded four assists and no goals, and in five games this year he’s recorded one assist. As he gets more and more comfortable going forward when chances present themselves, Herrera’s next step as a pro is finishing off a few of his scoring chances while also delivering quality balls into the box for others to finish.
Herrera and his Real Salt Lake teammates will be back in action this Monday in the Round of 16 against Group B winner San Jose (6:30 p.m., FS1).