Roberto Hernandez Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1358
ERA	4.606
WHIP	1.412
BB/9	3.347
SO/9	5.521

Full name Roberto Hernandez
Born 08/30/1980 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 270 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 04/15/2006

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Carmona has won 40 games in his three full seasons, tying for the minor league lead with 17 victories in 2003. He struggled in Double-A in both 2004 and 2005, but he recovered to pitch well in Triple-A last year. Carmona enjoyed increased velocity in Triple-A, jumping up to 93-94 mph while topping out at 96. His high-80s slider can be nasty when he commands it, and his deceptive changeup with late action gives him a third plus pitch. Command always has been his forte, as he likes to pound the zone with heavy sinkers and values groundballs as much as strikeouts. Carmona still doesn't miss a lot of bats and probably never will. But someone with his stuff shouldn't be nearly as hittable as he has been in the upper minors. He needs to become more consistent with his mechanics. The Indians envision him developing along the lines of Jake Westbrook. Carmona has the necessary pitches to become a frontline starter, but he still has plenty of development remaining before he's ready. He'll probably spend at least another half-season in Triple-A, as Jeremy Sowers is in line for the first callup.
When the Indians signed Carmona out of the Dominican as a 16-yearold, he was a malnourished stringbean. As he has bulked up, his velocity has steadily increased. He tied for the minor league lead with 17 wins in 2003 and reached double figures again while advancing to Triple-A in 2004. Carmona pounds the ball down in the zone with good command of a heavy 90-95 mph sinker. He upgraded his deceptive changeup into a plus pitch with improved late action in 2004. His athletic, repeatable delivery allows him to consistently throw strikes. Despite his lively fastball, Carmona doesn't miss a lot of bats. While he induces a lot of ground balls, his strikeout totals won't increase until he tightens his slider. It's a slurvy breaking ball and hasn't been an effective third option for him. After coddling him earlier in his career, the Indians were more aggressive with Carmona in 2004. That won't stop in 2005, as they plan on assigning him to Triple-A.
Nobody in the organization made more dramatic progress in 2003 than Carmona, who emerged as a breakout candidate last spring. He tied for the minor league high in wins and led the low Class A South Atlantic League in ERA. The Indians could have promoted him but wanted to ease his transition to the United States as a teenager. Carmona threw a higher percentage of strikes than any pitcher in the organization last year. He has uncanny control of his 92-95 mph fastball, which he drives downhill in the zone, making it difficult for hitters to lift the ball. His athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery efficiently. His changeup is an advanced pitch. Carmona needs to further develop his slider, which will dictate how quickly he moves. He pitches to contact by design, but has good enough control to pitch out of the zone more often and draw more swings and misses. Carmona profiles as at least a quality No. 3 starter. He'll start the year at high Class A Kinston and could reach Double-A by midseason.

Minor League Top Prospects

Carmona hardly attracted a second look during his first two seasons in the Indians organization, going 6-6, 3.12 in 156 innings in the lowest levels of the system. But after leading the minors with 17 wins and the SAL in ERA, Carmona established himself as one of the Tribe's brightest young arms. His stuff and performance warranted a midseason promotion, but the Indians decided not to take the Dominican native out of a comfortable environment while he made strides adapting to U.S. culture. Carmona, the league's pitcher of the year, keeps the ball down in the zone with a heavy 90-95 mph fastball. A groundball pitcher, he also has a hard, slurvy curveball that has a tendency to flatten out, and a feel for a changeup. Carmona shows an advanced feel for pitching and has well-above-average command, but he lacks a true strikeout pitch.