Marlins Hitter Heriberto Hernandez Has Potential to be Power Threat
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The Miami Marlins have a young player on their roster who has shown promise when opportunities arise.
In his first season with the Marlins, Heriberto Hernandez was a player who proved to do some damage with his bat. Hernandez made some solid production at the plate.
Can Hernandez Become Surprising Hitter That Marlins Need in the Middle of the Lineup?
Hernandez is 26 years old with an unbelievable baseball journey. His professional baseball career began at 18, when he played for the Texas Rangers' minor league system. There, Hernandez spent seven seasons in the minors.
There were many trials and tribulations with his production in the minors, especially in Triple-A. Hernandez went from Texas to Tampa and finally made his major league debut in 2025 with the Marlins. It is a remarkable story when we hear about these athletes finally fighting to get the call to the big leagues.
When Hernandez finally made his debut at 25, he had the opportunity and blessing to play in 87 games. The Marlins admired what he brought to the table. He hit a slash of .266/.347/.438 with 10 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 68 hits in 256 at-bats.
His offense is his bread and butter. He can play multiple positions, such as outfielder, designated hitter, and first base.
Recently, the Marlins designated Eric Wagaman, which could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Hernandez to allow him to get more playing time at first base if the team needs him there. Obviously, Hernandez would need to get more reps.
He’s not best known for his defense. Hernandez would need to improve his defense, but what makes him very valuable is his ability to hit for power and make exceptional contact with the ball. Hernandez must reduce his strikeouts because that’s one of his main weaknesses. If he can cut down on striking out so much, then he will stay in the lineup more often.
Spring Training is the time when players have to show what they're capable of, especially if they have a chance to make the team roster for the season. Hernandez will need to showcase his potential once again, and he must do it in Spring Training.
His baseball career is only beginning. Whether he’s the Marlins' future first baseman, DH, or outfielder, we could be seeing a player who makes pitchers hesitant to pitch to him.
If Hernandez wants to be an elite power home run hitter, he should study the transformation and early beginning of Hall of Fame David Ortiz. It’s never too late to break out in your baseball career, no matter how much you struggle at the beginning.
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After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.