Hernandez, Florentino flash tools, soak in atmosphere at Futures Game

PHILADELPHIA -- Edward Florentino walked onto the field at Citizens Bank Park Sunday morning and soaked in the scene, gazing into the stands and around at some of baseball’s top prospects.

Inside the National League clubhouse, Florentino turned to his right and saw his High-A Greensboro teammate, Seth Hernandez, the Pirates’ top two prospects taking a pivotal step in their developmental journeys.

“We’ve always imagined being in the big leagues,” Florentino said. “This is the first [such] experience. It’s a good one.”

What Florentino and Hernandez did and saw during the showcase event did not disappoint -- for them or Pirates fans.

They relished the chance to compete among the best hitting and pitching prospects, an experience that gave them a flavor of the big leagues. Florentino and Hernandez also loved doing it together, reminding that the future is bright in Pittsburgh.

"It was a good experience to be around all the guys, see some faces that I’ve seen before," Hernandez said. "The atmosphere in Philly was special. I did not expect there to be that many people, so that was cool."

As for the game -- a 6-1 American League win -- it didn’t take long for Florentino or Hernandez to make an impact. And, don’t worry, all appears to be well after Florentino absorbed the fourth pitch he saw, a 94.4-mph fastball, in the butt

Hernandez pitched the second inning. He went 1-2-3, recorded two strikeouts, hit triple digits three times and left little doubt why MLB Pipeline ranks him as its No. 6 prospect.

Beyond lighting up the radar gun, Hernandez also threw his slider, curveball and changeup, generating four whiffs, throwing first-pitch strikes to two of the three batters he faced and getting Royals catcher Blake Mitchell to swing through a nasty changeup.

"That's my bread-and-butter pitch," Hernandez said. "It’s always good getting strikeouts with it.

The scouting report on Hernandez includes an incredible makeup, much like past first-round picks for the Pirates like Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin. He’s definitely mature, which came through in how flawlessly he handled the attention and media duties.

But there's also evidence in his stuff, which has led to a 6-1 record with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts across two levels. Hernandez has walked 30 while striking out 111 across 69 innings (second in MiLB), posting a .183 batting average against and 1.07 WHIP.

The bump to High-A has been a good thing, Hernandez said on July 1. It has challenged him and made him a better pitcher, teaching him to refine his execution and make adjustments quickly.

That was evident shortly after his promotion when the Pirates noticed a few movements were off in his delivery. Hernandez quickly made the correction.

"With all the video we have, it’s really easy to go back and look at videos where you’re going really well and where you’re going really bad, making sure you’re not getting complacent," Hernandez said. "Obviously as this season goes on, mechanics are gonna tweak a little bit. Just making sure you have a good foundation to come back to.

In addition to the success, these past few days have been special for Hernandez on a personal level. He grew up in Corona, Calif., not far from 2026 first-round pick Derek Curiel (West Covina). They actually competed against one another from high school.

Their relationship is one of several reasons why Hernandez was thrilled to learn the Pirates selected Curiel.

“I think it’s an amazing pick,” Hernandez said. “He’s a great player. Happy he’s part of the Pirates now.”

As for Florentino, he unfortunately wasn’t able to showcase the bat that has led to 15 home runs and an .826 OPS in 61 games across two levels this season. But Florentino's bat is the carrying tool for someone who’s ranked No. 30 within MLB Pipeline’s top 30.

Florentino exited after he was plunked in the third inning -- but not before scoring the National League’s first run. The impressive speed that led to 35 stolen bases in 2025 was evident when Florentino swiped second.

He moved to third on a bouncer to first and scored on a grounder to second.

"Showing my speed is really important," Florentino said. "I want to be a complete player."

The in-game action wasn’t as much as Florentino expected, but he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. He and Hernandez arrived Saturday morning. They both tried cheesesteaks, which Florentino said he loved.

He also continued to show his unflappability and grasp of the English language, something that stretches back to his time in the Pirates’ Dominican Academy.

He wanted to learn how to “speak without fear” and continues to challenge himself to master the language.

“I feel so proud,” Florentino said. “But I don’t feel proud enough because I know I can get better in English.”

Florentino and Hernandez are among the game’s brightest young stars, as evidenced by their appearance here. They showed off a few of their loud tools on the big stage after enjoying productive first halves for Pirates affiliates.

They're also not alone. Hernandez joked he could "hopefully maybe show the Pirates I can come out of 'pen" and was complimented for his MLB-ready stuff. But regardless of his arrival date, Hernandez once again proved that he's their next high-powered arm, much like the two arriving here soon in Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft.

"Those guys are shoving," Hernandez said. "It’s kind of crazy that there are only two guys from Pittsburgh coming here; our team this year is incredible. But to be here and represent the Pirates for the Futures Game, hopefully one day I can be in the All-Star Game with them."

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.