Ronald Hernandez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Mets #25 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: The Marlins signed Hernandez out of Venezuela in 2021 and assigned him to Rookie complex leagues for his first three pro seasons. He repeated the Florida Complex League in 2023 and experienced a mini-breakthrough that caught the Mets’ attention. They acquired Hernandez plus 18-year-old shortstop Marco Vargas from the Marlins for closer David Robertson at the 2023 trade deadline. Hernandez led the FCL with a .476 on-base percentage, finished second with 47 walks and 10th with a .295 average.
  
  Scouting Report: Hernandez is a switch-hitting catcher with strong command of the strike zone and a contact-oriented, up-the-middle approach. He has some natural power but deemphasizes it in games, and makes himself more of an on-base threat than a threat to go yard. Hernandez has the potential to get to average defense behind the plate. He receives well and shows leadership and character traits the Mets value. His arm strength, transfers and throwing accuracy need to improve and should get better with work and experience. He is a below-average runner who will slow down as catching takes its toll on his knees.
  
  The Future: With the notable exception of Francisco Alvarez, the Mets have not truly developed a catcher of note since Todd Hundley, which speaks to the lack of catching depth they typically have in the organization. Hernandez helps address that, though he is years away from a big league role, most likely as backup catcher candidate. He will get everyday reps at Low-A St. Lucie in 2024.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 30 | Run: 40 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #28 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Venezuela has been the go-to destination for catching prospects in recent years, and the Marlins snapped up one of the best available in the most recent crop when they signed Hernandez once the pandemic-delayed international period opened on Jan. 15, 2021. Hernandez spent his debut season in the DSL, where he showed impressive command of the strike zone.
  
  Scouting Report: As an amateur, Hernandez showed off quick feet, plus arm strength that produced sub-2.0 second pop times and the quick footwork that should help keep him behind the plate in the long run. In the DSL and again at the Marlins’ postseason instructional camp at their big league stadium, Hernandez showed a strong sense of plate discipline. During the regular season, that skill allowed him to have nearly as many walks (31) as strikeouts (32). As an amateur he showed doubles power that was expected to amplify as he matured, as well as the strong hand-eye coordination to translate into bat-to-ball skills. Hernandez is also bilingual and has already shown a strong baseball aptitude for a player his age.
  
  The Future: After debuting in the DSL, Hernandez should move stateside in 2022, when he’ll begin to show exactly what kind of ceiling he has going forth.
  

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Venezuela has been the go-to destination for catching prospects in recent years, and the Marlins snapped up one of the best available in the most recent crop when they signed Hernandez once the pandemic-delayed international period opened on Jan. 15, 2021. Hernandez spent his debut season in the DSL, where he showed impressive command of the strike zone.
  
  Scouting Report: As an amateur, Hernandez showed off quick feet, plus arm strength that produced sub-2.0 second pop times and the quick footwork that should help keep him behind the plate in the long run. In the DSL and again at the Marlins’ postseason instructional camp at their big league stadium, Hernandez showed a strong sense of plate discipline. During the regular season, that skill allowed him to have nearly as many walks (31) as strikeouts (32). As an amateur he showed doubles power that was expected to amplify as he matured, as well as the strong hand-eye coordination to translate into bat-to-ball skills. Hernandez is also bilingual and has already shown a strong baseball aptitude for a player his age.
  
  The Future: After debuting in the DSL, Hernandez should move stateside in 2022, when he’ll begin to show exactly what kind of ceiling he has going forth.