Jose Hernandez

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2016
DSL:  2-1-0, 6.75 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 9.1 IP, 10.6 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Hernandez pitched only a little in his debut and had trouble throwing strikes.

2017
DSL:  6-2-0, 2.52 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 64.1 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Pitching as a starter, Hernandez made significant progress in his second DSL season.

2018
R:  2-1-0, 2.96 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 27.1 IP, 4.6 BB/9, 12.5 K/9

The Dodgers moved Hernandez to relief in rookie ball and he had a good year, with a very high K rate.

2019
INJURED

Hernandez missed the season with an unknown injury.

2020
DNP

2021
A:  2-0-1, 4.75 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 30.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 12.2 K/9
A+:  1-2-0, 3.60 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 15.0 IP, 5.4 BB/9, 12.0 K/9

Hernandez pitched in relief in low A through the beginning of August, then moved up to high A.  He wasn’t all that effective at the lower level, although the main issue was a bad month of May.  The fact that he was in the high-offense California League probably didn’t help.  He was more effective after moving up.  On the season he had a huge platoon split, allowing an .804 OPS to right-handed hitters and .500 to left-handed hitters.

2022
A+:  1-2-8, 2.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 21.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 9.4 K/9
AA:  3-2-0, 3.96 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 38.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 10.9 K/9

The Dodgers sent Hernandez back to high A, then in late May moved him up to AA.  He pitched well at both levels, although he had some gopher ball problems in AA, giving up one every five and a half innings.  This time he didn’t have a platoon split.

The Pirates obviously selected Hernandez to see whether he can help address their paucity of left-handed pitching.  He’ll of course have to spend all of 2023 in the majors.  He did make the team out of spring training, although he didn’t have a good spring.  The outstanding stuff was there, but the command came and went.  He may have been helped by the injury to Jarlin Garcia.