MLB's top pitching prospect aces High-A debut with 5 no-hit frames, 7 K's
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The much-anticipated High-A debut for Seth Hernandez did not disappoint. Unless you happen to be an opposing batter.
Pittsburgh's No. 1 prospect spun five hitless innings and struck out seven in his debut for Greensboro, which blanked Jersey Shore, 3-0, on Friday night at ShoreTown Ballpark.
Hernandez did issue a season (and professional-high) four walks but only allowed one runner to reach past second base, as only two balls were hit out of the infield during his 70-pitch performance. His command struggles notwithstanding, Jersey Shore hitters were largely overmatched by Hernandez, who generated 18 whiffs on 29 swings (62.1 percent).
Heralded as an ace-in-making coming into the season after going to the Pirates with the No. 6 pick in last year's Draft, Hernandez has not disappointed. After dominating his way through the first five weeks of the season at Single-A, MLB's No. 3 prospect and top-ranked pitcher did not seem overwhelmed in his Grasshoppers' debut.
Hernandez worked around a leadoff walk in the opening frame by generating a flyout and a pair of groundouts. The 19-year-old picked up his first two strikeouts in the second inning and five more over his final three frames.
After issuing a two-out walk in the second, Hernandez retired seven consecutive BlueClaws. Consecutive free passes in the fifth put two runners on against him for the first time in the game, but the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder used a caught-stealing, a fielder's choice groundout and a three-pitch K to close out his debut.
The California native earned the promotion to the South Atlantic League after yet another dominating start for Single-A Bradenton last Friday. Hernandez generated 24 whiffs in that outing and fanned nine over six scoreless frames but still saw his K rate decrease.
He concluded his Florida State League tenure with an 0.96 ERA, an 0.71 WHIP and a 50/7 K/BB ratio in 28 innings, but that only begins to explain how unhittable Hernandez truly was. Hernandez regularly hits the upper 90s with his fastball, and coupled with a nasty curveball and equally vicious slider, it adds up to making him one of the toughest pitchers in the Minors.
Beginning with his pro debut -- which kicked off with three K's in his first pro inning -- Hernandez has hardly been touched. Including his hitless performance for Greensboro, Hernandez has yielded just 13 hits in 33 innings, limiting opponents to a .118 average with just six extra-base hits in 122 plate appearances.