Braves Prospect Report: Herick Hernandez Misses Bats, but Also the Zone

Atlanta’s No. 12 prospect reached Triple-A in two full seasons and struck out more than 11 per nine in 2026, but his future is determined by walks

Herick Hernandez can be incredible if he finds command | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ever since the Atlanta Braves drafted him in the fourth round of the 2024 Draft, Herick Hernandez has advanced quickly through the minors. In just two full professional seasons, Hernandez finds himself with Triple-A Gwinnett.

Though it's not his primary offering, his low-80s slider is his go-to pitch, due to his high rate of missing bats. His fastball sits at 93 but can reach 97 mph with good life on it. He's also showing signs of a solid splitter and finishes his arsenal with a rarely used curveball.

Hernandez has a really good feel for the strikeout, having a career K/9 of 8.86, but he ratcheted things up in 2026, showcasing an 11.4 K/9 this season. The limiting factor for him will be walks. Hernandez struggles to find the zone, holding a career mark of nearly five walks per nine. Much like strikeouts, though, his walk rate spiked this season with a mark of 6.4 BB/9. So far in his professional career, Hernandez has kept opponents to a measly .199 average, but with a career WHIP of nearly 1.5, Hernandez makes things difficult for himself, creating a lot of unnecessary traffic on the bases.

Hernandez is undersized at 5-foot-10, but he definitely has the stuff to be a starter. He has been used almost entirely as a starter in his minor league career, but could still find a home in the bullpen. His role will depend entirely on whether he can rein in his command of his pitches.

I see a ceiling of Gio Gonzalez as a starter and A.J. Minter as a reliever, but as it stands now, Herick Hernandez reminds me of another former Braves farmhand, Sean Newcomb. Newcomb has always had electric stuff but has struggled to find a consistent role in the Majors due to his control issues, spending time with six teams in nine years.

The Braves think there's more upside to tap into, and he's obviously got the arsenal to play at the next level. It will all hinge on control. With an expected ETA of sometime next season, I could see Hernandez pitching in Gwinnett through at least the first half of the season. If the walks come down, and the strikeouts stay up, there's no reason why he wouldn't make an appearance in Atlanta in the second half. If they don't, his debut might be pushed back a year.

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