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Adrian Hernandez Screwing With Hitters, and Other Blue Jays Prospect Notes
Changeup, screwball, swing-and-miss machine.
Call it whatever you want, but Adrian Hernandez’s primary pitch is one of the most interesting and effective weapons in the Blue Jays’ farm system. Hernandez and the Toronto organization both refer to the righty's signature pitch as a changeup, but it's got the reverse spin of a traditional screwball, diving down and arm side—like a mirrored slider.
Whatever it is has confounded upper-minors hitters this year. Hernandez earned a quick call-up to Triple A and now has a 1.42 ERA in 19 innings with Buffalo, striking out four times as many batters as he's walked. His strikeout rate is tops among regular Bisons relievers, and he's on the Blue Jays' radar for a 2022 MLB debut.
“It’s a really good pitch, it just really baffles hitters," Buffalo pitching coach Jeff Ware said. "They don’t see spin like that too much, so when they’re in the box and they see this changeup coming it’s not like anything they’ve seen before, so it really does keep them off balance.”
Hernandez has a great feel for the pitch, Ware said, able to throw the diving changeup at any time in any count. The Bisons’ pitching coach recalls the righty falling behind 3-0 to an opposing batter, and then throwing the change three times in a row to strike them out.
“It's just so baffling to hitters. He can just throw it over the plate and get swing and misses,” Ware said.
Ware first saw Hernandez in the Gulf Coast League back in 2019, when the coach was a pitching coordinator with Toronto. Hernandez joined the Jays organization with his signature change, but he couldn’t throw any of his other pitches for strikes, so hitters mashed him around to the tune of an 8.02 ERA that year. One of his goals climbing Toronto's minors has been to learn to throw his fastball and curveball consistently in the zone, keeping opposing hitters from sitting on the off-speed.
His fastball, sitting at 90-92 MPH, isn't going to blow anyone away, but it has "good characteristics" Ware said, and the pitch shape helps disguise his change. He's thrown it successfully in the zone for Buffalo this year and has been able to mix the curveball in when needed, too. The 22-year-old will need more than just his baffling change when he gets to the big leagues, and that test may soon come.
“[Hernandez] is starting to put himself on the map as some major league help, and a potential major league star here soon,” Ware said.
Here are a few other notes on recent developments in Toronto's minor league system:
Jordan Groshans Learns A New Position
The first 116 starts of Jordan Groshans’ minor league career came on the left side of the infield or at designated hitter.
Last week he tried something new, manning first base for nine clean innings with the Triple A Bisons. The time at first is just a move to improve Groshans’ versatility, with comfortability at the position opening up a potentially quicker path to the big leagues. The Jays have just one primary first baseman on the 40-man roster (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.), with Cavan Biggio, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and maybe Zac Collins filling in or backing up, at times.
Having another player on the roster with some experience at the base insulates the Jays from an injury to any of the MLB 1B options, and helps Groshans find playing time when he eventually cracks The Show.
Spencer Horwitz Rakes
Spencer Horwitz had a time in the desert last fall, posting a .460 OBP and .944 OPS in 16 Arizona Fall League games.
Starting the 2022 season in Double A, though the 24-year-old began the year a bit chilly, hitting .238 with three homers (.718 OPS) in his first 30 games. In June, the first baseman/left fielder has been one of the minor league’s hottest hitters.
In 13 games this month, Horwitz is slashing .405/.537/.667 with 12 walks and 13 strikeouts. His June 1.204 OPS is the best in the Double A Eastern League, ahead of top prospects Anthony Volpe (Yankees), Francisco Alvarez (Mets), and Brett Baty (Mets).
Gabriel Martinez Out
In his first complete campaign of full-season ball, Gabriel Martinez’s hot start with Dunedin this year positioned him as a rising hitter in Toronto’s minors. In 43 games in Single A, the 19-year-old posted a .883 OPS with nine homers.
However, at the end of May, the outfielder suffered a left wrist fracture. He had a procedure on June 2nd and will miss months for recovery and rehab.
