Chris Hernandez

Hernandez was Baseball America's 2008 Freshman of the Year, when he went 11-0, 2.72 for the Hurricanes' College World Series team. Since then, he has continued to pitch well despite having diminished stuff. He relies heavily on his cut fastball, which is his best pitch. It sits in the 82-86 mph range and helps him get inside hitters' kitchens, avoiding hard contact. Hernandez's velocity is down a tick from earlier in his career, though he will still scrape 90 mph at times. He pitches more at 85-88 mph with his fastball and has to locate it precisely at that velocity. His curveball is fringy, and he's improved late in 2010 by using his changeup more, giving hitters a reason to have to cover the outside part of the plate while still being cognizant of the cutter in. Hernandez holds runners well and pounds the strike zone, helping his stuff play up.