Gorkys Hernandez Stats & Scouting Report

AB	75
AVG	.333
OBP	.457
SLG	.467
HR	2

Full name Gorkys Gustavo Hernández
Born 09/07/1987 in Guiria, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 196 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 05/21/2012

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Hernandez was involved in two significant trades in his first four pro seasons. The Tigers shipped him and Jair Jurrjens to the Braves in exchange for Edgar Renteria after the 2007 season. In June 2009, Atlanta packaged Hernandez with Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton to get Nate McLouth from the Pirates. Hernandez has a minor league batting title (Gulf Coast League, 2006) and MVP award (low Class A Midwest League, 2007) on his résumé and has made Top 10 Prospects lists in all three organizations, but he has stalled in the Pittsburgh system because he doesn't provide enough offense. Hernandez's best tool is his center-field defense. He has exceptional range, makes tough plays look easy and has a strong, accurate arm. His plus speed doesn't play as well on the bases, as he's vulnerable to good pickoff moves and hasn't been a prolific basestealer since his MWL days. Hernandez showed some improved strength and gap power last season in Triple-A, but he still doesn't impact the ball or get on base with enough consistency. He's blocked in the majors by Andrew McCutchen and has Starling Marte coming up behind him, so Hernandez may never play regularly in the majors unless he's part of a third trade.
Hernandez ranked as one of the top prospects in the Tigers organization when he went to the Braves in a trade for Edgar Renteria in October 2007, and he moved again when Pittsburgh traded Nate McLouth to Atlanta in June 2009. He has not shown the form with the Pirates that helped him capture a Gulf Coast League batting title in his first season and a low Class A Midwest League MVP title in his next. His best attributes are his speed and defense, and even scouts who have soured on Hernandez concede that he has few flaws in center field. He covers enough ground to play shallow, makes catches over his head look easy, glides from gap to gap and has a strong, accurate arm. He has plus speed and stole 17 bases in 20 attempts last year. A modest surge at the plate--.291 in June, .325 in July--raised hopes, but only 12 of those 57 hits were for extra bases. He broke his right ring finger in a bunt attempt on July 25, ending his season. Although he added about 10 pounds to his frame, Hernandez still lacks strength at the plate and often is late to the ball. He often looks hesitant to swing. Many of his hits never left the infield, and he offers little power. Scouts see him as young enough to improve, but he needs to get going. Depending on his spring, he could return for a third tour in Double-A.
After winning the Gulf Coast League batting title and the low Class A Midwest League MVP award in his first two seasons in the United States, Hernandez was traded twice in 20 months. The Tigers sent him to the Braves in a trade for Edgar Renteria in October 2007, and Atlanta shipped him to the Pirates in a deal for Nate McLouth last June. Hernandez is an outstanding defensive center fielder. He plays shallow and covers a lot of ground with his exceptional first-step quickness. His plus speed also makes him a threat on the bases. His line-drive swing has enabled him to hit .284 as pro. Primarily a slap hitter, Hernandez, who was added to the 40-man roster, needs to get stronger or risk having major league pitchers knock the bat out of his hands. His control of the strike zone has slipped, and he needs to do a better job of getting on base. He also needs to improve his jumps and reads after getting caught in 16 of his 35 steal attempts in 2009. Twice after the trade last summer, he was removed from games for disciplinary reasons. His defensive prowess and speed are enticing, but Hernandez needs to show more with the bat in Triple-A in 2010. Andrew McCutchen blocks his path to Pittsburgh's center-field job, so Hernandez could get traded again.
Hernandez won the Gulf Coast League batting title and Midwest League MVP award in his first two seasons in the United States, then was part of a one-sided trade with the Tigers that also delivered Jair Jurrjens in exchange for Edgar Renteria. Hernandez missed a month in 2008 with a hamstring injury, but recovered to earn accolades from managers as the Carolina League's most exciting player. Hernandez has all the tools to be a quintessential leadoff hitter and center fielder. He drives the ball from gap to gap with his linedrive swing and is a weapon on the bases with above-average speed. He covers tremendous ground in center with his quickness and precise routes, and he also has a strong, accurate arm. Hernandez still gives away too many at-bats despite cutting down on his swing, particulalry with two strikes. He doesn't have much home run power yet swings for the fences on occasion. A more refined approach and improved strike-zone judgment will boost his modest walk totals and on-base percentage. With Jordan Schafer and Hernandez, the Braves have two of the premier center-field prospects in the game. Their skills are similar, and Schafer is only one rung higher on the organizational ladder. Hernandez will spend 2009 in Double-A.
While in the Tigers organization, Hernandez had an impressive encore after winning the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting crown in his 2006 U.S. debut. He played in the Futures Game and served as the catalyst for the low Class A Midwest League champions. He won the league's MVP award and stolen base title. Hernandez draws comparisons to a young Kenny Lofton as a speedster with gap power. He makes good contact and has shown the ability to make adjustments against experienced pitchers. His well-above-average speed makes him a threat on the basepaths and allows him to run down fly balls in the gaps. He even has a strong arm for a center fielder. Hernandez needs to add muscle for more power. He has tools to bat leadoff, but needs to use his speed better on the bases and continue to improve his plate discipline. The Tigers wanted to upgrade at shortstop and Hernandez became expendable with Curtis Granderson and Cameron Maybin ahead of him. Hernandez likely will open 2008 in high Class A, with a chance for a midseason promotion to Double-A. He has a lot of upside, but he also has a lot of young outfielders to contend with in the Braves system.
After hitting .265 in the Rookie-level Venezuelan Summer League in 2005, Hernandez had a spectacular U.S. debut. Though he didn't turn 19 until after the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League schedule concluded, he topped the circuit in hitting, runs and hits while finishing second in steals and total bases (95). Well-above-average speed is Hernandez' best tool but far from his only one. He's a natural leadoff hitter with a gap-togap stroke. His raw power and arm strength are solid, and he gets very good jumps and covers significant real estate in center field. He showed off his basestealing prowess by swiping 20 in 24 tries in the GCL. As with many young players, Hernandez' biggest weakness is his plate discipline. He's advanced for his age but still needs more polish and experience in most phases of his game. He needs to get stronger and fill out his skinny frame, which should come with time. The only position player in the system with more upside is Cameron Maybin. Hernandez may follow the same path and play in low Class A as a 19-year-old. He could become a special prospect if he continues to mature.

Minor League Top Prospects

He didn't win a batting title like he did in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2006, or an MVP award like he did in the low Class A Midwest League last year, but Hernandez's all-around skills rated second only to Wieters'. A five-tool athlete with above-average speed that translates equally well to the outfield and basepaths, Hernandez projects as a big league leadoff hitter with 40-steal potential. Hernandez has gap-to-gap power that should result in an increase in doubles, but he likely won't develop into much of a home run hitter. His youth sometimes showed at the plate--he played the entire season at age 20--and he needs to be more consistent in his at-bats. The CL's best defensive outfielder, Hernandez takes outstanding routes to the ball and has a better arm than most center fielders.
No one in the league could match Hernandez' total package of tools. Besides winning a championship ring, he also captured the MVP award, the stolen base title (54 in 65 attempts) and accolades as the MWL's fastest baserunner and most exciting player. He doesn't have Maybin's power potential, but Hernandez otherwise compares favorably to him and is more polished than Maybin was in the MWL. Hernandez made good adjustments against older pitchers and drew comparisons to Kenny Lofton as a speedster with true gap power. He's a fearless center fielder who covers a lot of ground and has a strong arm for his position. "He's going to save a lot of runs and he's going to score a lot of runs," Dayton manager Donnie Scott said. "That's what that kid's going to do."
Though Hernandez was 18 and had just 211 pro at-bats entering 2006, the Tigers believed he was ready to play Stateside. He reinforced that sentiment by hitting safely in 13 of his first 14 games and winning the league batting title with a .327 average. He also led the GCL in hits (67) and runs (41) while finishing second in steals (20 in 24 tries). "He was the best player I saw in our division," Braves manager Luis Ortiz said. "He hits leadoff, knows his job, hits the ball on the ground, he'll steal second right away and he might steal third also. I'll keep this kid's name in my head in the future. I wouldn't forget it, if I were you." Hernandez has gap power, uses the whole field and is a sound defensive center fielder with a solid-average arm. His best tool is his speed, and he could develop into an above-average hitter once he improves his plate discipline.