One of the more interesting times to follow an organization's minor league system is after a trade deadline sell-off. The infusion of young talent into a farm system is exciting for fans but the organization doesn't really begin to see what they got until the following year, when the new players spend their first full year in the organization. The New York Mets have seen a lot of their new prospects from the previous trade deadline step up nicely, with LuisAngel Acuna making his big league debut last weekend in Philadelphia, so it has been a relative success on that front. Another player who had a solid first full season in the organization is catcher Ronald Hernandez, who is the focus of this week's edition of Minor League Mondays.
Hernandez, 20, was the second prospect the Mets acquired from the Miami Marlins in the David Robertson trade last summer. While Marco Vargas was the headliner of the package, scouts felt that the Mets did good work to add Hernandez to bolster their organizational catching depth. After finishing last season with a promotion to Low-A St. Lucie, the Mets had Hernandez start 2024 in the Florida State League and saw him do well against that level's competition.
In 98 games for St. Lucie Hernandez hit .271 with five home runs, 41 RBI and a .721 OPS. The switch-hitting Hernandez earned a late season promotion to High-A Brooklyn and is poised to spend a good part of next season on Coney Island with the Cyclones, offering Mets' fans based in New York City an opportunity to see his development up close.
Scouts feel that Hernandez's defensive game should translate well to the majors since he is a good receiver behind the plate that has demonstrated an ability to handle a pitching staff thanks in part to his ability to speak both English and Spanish. There are some questions about Hernandez's throwing arm, which is a bit average, so he will need to demonstrate progress throwing out runners going forward.
In terms of offense, Hernandez has a solid hit tool that is more advanced from the left side due to the fact that is where he has gotten most of his at bats. There is power potential for Hernandez as he gains more experience but his best tool is his eye at the plate, which saw him post a ridiculous .476 on base percentage during the 2023 season.
There is a lot to like with Hernandez, who is currently the Mets' 24th-ranked prospect according to MLB.com's Top 30 lists, and an opportunity for him to make a case to become the long-term backup catcher behind Francisco Alvarez. Kevin Parada's development appears to have stalled at AA Binghamton while two of the organization's more intriguing international signings, Yovanny Rodriguez and Daiverson Gutierrez, are years away from being considerations for the big club.
Expect the Mets to let Hernandez start 2025 in St. Lucie and eventually make his way to Binghamton once Parada gets to AAA Syracuse. Hernandez will likely also be in the mix for an invite to big-league spring training in order to let the major league staff get a look at what he can do. Either way, Hernandez's progression in his first full year in the Mets' organization is unquestionably positive.
Comentarii