Nicholas Cody Hernandez (born December 30, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres. He made his MLB debut in 2023.
| Nick Hernandez | |
|---|---|
| Houston Astros – No. 72 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: December 30, 1994 Missouri City, Texas, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 12, 2023, for the San Diego Padres | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 0–0 |
| Earned run average | 9.00 |
| Strikeouts | 15 |
| Teams | |
| |
Career
editAmateur career
editHernandez is from Missouri City, Texas. He graduated from Dulles High School in Sugar Land, Texas. Hernandez played college baseball for Alvin Community College for two seasons, and transferred to the University of Houston for the 2016 season, where he was the closer for the Houston Cougars.[1]
Houston Astros
editThe Houston Astros selected Hernandez in the eighth round, with the 247th overall selection, of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. He spent his first professional season with the Low–A Tri-City ValleyCats and Single–A Quad Cities River Bandits, accumulating a 1.73 ERA across 19 appearances.[2] In 2017, Hernandez made 38 appearances out of the bullpen split between the High–A Buies Creek Astros and Double–A Corpus Christi Hooks, registering a combined 3.38 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 10 saves across 58+2⁄3 innings pitched. He underwent Tommy John surgery prior to the 2018 season and missed the entire year as a result.[3]
Hernandez split the 2019 season between Corpus Christi and the High–A Fayetteville Woodpeckers, pitching to a combined 4.02 ERA with 37 strikeouts across 23 contests. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] He returned to action in 2021 with Corpus Christi, also making one appearance in Triple–A. In 32 games for the Hooks, Hernandez recorded a 1.67 ERA with 68 strikeouts and 6 saves in 54 innings.[5] In 2022, he spent the year with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys, appearing in 48 games and posting a 5–5 record and 3.92 ERA with 77 strikeouts across 59+2⁄3 innings of work.[1][6] Hernandez elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.[7]
San Diego Padres
editOn February 3, 2023, Hernandez signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.[8] He began the 2023 season in Triple-A with the El Paso Chihuahuas.
On September 11, 2023, Hernandez was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[9] He made his MLB debut the following day.[10] In two appearances for San Diego, he allowed four runs on three hits with five strikeouts in three innings of work. Following the season on November 6, Hernandez was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A El Paso Chihuahuas; he elected free agency the same day.[11]
Hernandez re-signed with the Padres on a minor league contract on January 26, 2024.[12] In 17 games for Triple–A El Paso, he recorded a 1.90 ERA with 34 strikeouts across 23+2⁄3 innings pitched.
Houston Astros (second stint)
editOn June 4, 2024, the Padres traded Hernandez back to the Astros in exchange for cash considerations.[13] The next day, the Astros selected his contract, adding him to their active roster.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b "Dulles alum's MLB pursuit coming full circle in Sugar Land". Fort Bend Star. June 28, 2022.
- ^ "Nick Hernandez Stats & Scouting Report". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ^ "Hooks still in Texas League first half race despite roster turnover". caller.com. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ^ Adler, David (June 30, 2020). "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ "Nick Hernandez - Baseball Stats". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ^ "Corey Julks, Nick Hernandez chart course from UH to Space Cowboys to (they hope) Astros". June 6, 2022.
- ^ "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ^ "Padres Select Nick Hernández". yardbarker.com. September 11, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "Padres pregame: Robert Suarez activated; Tim Hill to 60-day IL; Nick Hernandez called up". San Diego Union-Tribune. September 11, 2023.
- ^ "No comeback this time as Dodgers rout Padres". September 13, 2023.
- ^ "Padres' Nick Hernandez: Loses roster spot". cbssports.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- ^ "Transactions".
- ^ Kawahara, Matt (June 4, 2024). "Astros acquire minor league reliever Nick Hernandez in trade with Padres". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ Kawahara, Matt (June 5, 2024). "Astros add Nick Hernandez, option Parker Mushinski to Triple-A". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
External links
edit- Career statistics from MLB, or Baseball Reference (Minors)