The trajectory of prospect pitchers can be quite volatile. Fortunately, for the Braves, it’s something the organization usually understands pretty well. It’s obviously still early, but it looks like that trend may continue as there’s an arm down on the farm that’s pitching extremely well so far this season.

Herick Hernandez, the Braves 4^th round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, put together another strong outing for High-A Rome on Sunday, giving him three consecutive starts so far in 2025 that have featured two or fewer runs allowed. Hernandez threw 82 pitches (53 strikes) and induced six groundouts in the start.

His final line with the Emperors:  4.2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Considered the no. 32 prospect in the Braves organization by FanGraphs heading into 2025, the 21-year-old lefty has been punching out High-A batters at an impressive clip, now up to 19 strikeouts in 12.2 total innings so far (all with Rome). His season stats are some of the best by a Braves prospect arm at this point this year.

Hernandez’s 2025 stats: 3 starts, 12.2 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 19 K

Quite the find for the Braves

Hernandez started his collegiate career with JUCO Miami Dade College, where he pitched well enough to be taken by the Reds in the 19^th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. However, instead of turning pro, Hernandez decided to stay in college another year and transferred to the University of Miami, where he started for the Hurricanes as a 20-year-old. That 2024 season in Coral Gables didn’t necessarily feature top-prospect type numbers. Hernandez finished the campaign with a bloated 6.14 ERA and allowed 13 home runs in 70.1 innings (14 starts). But, the ability to strike out batters was certainly there, shown by his 95 punch outs (12.2 K/9).

As an unranked prospect by most in the industry (no. 419 according to Baseball America), Hernandez came into the 2024 draft as a very raw pitcher with the profile of someone more likely to eventually develop into a bullpen piece. The Braves, who’ve historically shown an interest in more-specific tangibles when it comes to pitchers, seemed to have liked the fact that Hernandez is both a left-hander and has a mid-90s MPH fastball — the latter of which is said to have solid vertical movement and shape. In terms of secondaries, as is usually the case, that’s something the organization believes he can develop down on the farm, which will dictate whether or not a starter’s role is in his future.

It’s still a very small sample of numbers, of course. At this point, we’re talking about five total starts as a pro; he pitched one outing with Single-A Augusta and one with Rome last season (6.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 12 K overall in those outings). It would be incredibly hyperbolic to get our hopes just yet. But Hernandez seems to be holding his own at the High-A level so far, and mastering each rung of the ladder in what is the minor league system is certainly part of the goal for every new prospect. If he continues to pitch this way, Hernandez will get to move up to the next rung real soon.