Cubs Prospect Profile: Cristian Hernandez |
We have reached the midway point in our Prospect focus series as we inch closer to the top 10. Today, it's all about one of the more intriguing prospects in the system who checks in at No. 15. SS Cristian Hernandez is his name, and he comes with about as much upside as anyone.
For those who may have forgotten about Hernandez, he was once the organization's top prospect after being their top International Free Agent signing of 2021. Since then, Hernandez has gone through the growing pains you would expect from a young player, hence why he has fallen down to No. 15. Don't let that fool you. Hernandez is still an impressive prospect with so much upside that you could potentially dangle him in front of teams as a trade asset piece. Anytime you are compared to both Alex Rodriguez and Manny Machado at 16 years old, there is a reason why you are viewed as the best International Free Agent, which is why the Cubs signed him for north of three million dollars. Always viewed as having the highest ceiling among the International Players that year, Hernandez struggled a bit out of the gate, which was to be expected in his first taste of Professional baseball. After putting on an absolute clinic for the DSL Cubs in 2021 as a 17-year-old, Hernandez made the leap to the States, where he joined the ACL Cubs ahead of the 2022 season. As expected, there were plenty of lumps during that season, but with a .261 average across 44 games with three homers and 21 RBIs, Hernandez more than proved his worth and showed he was worthy of a full-season promotion. Although that didn't come until 2023 with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, you have to applaud the Cubs for sticking with him, as 2023 was by far his worst season as a pro. Not only did he struggle in his 106 games with the Pelicans, hitting just .223, but his 27% strikeout rate was also out of character, given his overall struggle of a season. Hernandez did club four homers to go with 40 RBIs, but considering his player comparison, a lot of folks were wondering where the power was. His power still hasn't shown up following the 2024 season, but Hernandez made plenty of strides this season, making the Cubs hopeful of a breakout in 2025. Despite his struggles, Hernandez got promoted to High-A this season and finally started to show what he was about as a player. Hernandez came into his own across 118 games between Myrtle Beach and South Bend, hitting .261 with a career-high five homers and 59 RBIs. He did that by also swiping 44 bases and now has 98 career steals. In the process of those 44 steals, Hernandez became the Pelicans' all-time leader in stolen bases, and he continues to be a threat in multiple areas. At 6-1 and 175 pounds, Hernandez is still filling into his body, but considering his size, he already possesses a lightning-quick swing that should continue to develop into a power swing capable of blasting 30 homers. A big reason for his lack of power up to this point is his lack of strength, as he has been primarily a ground ball/line drive hitter his first three seasons. Eventually, that strength will start to kick in, and there were times this season when the ball jumped off his bat. Knowing that he is still building up the strength to become a power hitter, Hernandez has taken a patient approach at the plate, which has led to higher-than-expected walk rates. The Cubs are more than happy with that at this stage in his career because of the stolen base threat he brings to the table. Not only does his speed come in handy on the bases, but it also comes in handy defensively, as his quick first step allows him to get to even some of the toughest ground balls. Despite seeing time at both second and short, he has the arm needed to stick at SS, but it does become a situation as to what position can get him to the bigs the quickest. Once seen as the Cubs can't miss prospect, Hernandez has been forgotten, and you get why. However, if there was ever a breakout candidate for 2025, Hernandez could be the guy, as he is coming in with a different mindset for next year.
