Skip to main content

Prospect Nation 2014: #4 2B/OF Cesar Hernandez

Cesar Hernandez, image- Jay Floyd
Signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent at the age of 16 in 2006, Cesar Hernandez swiftly proved himself as a capable prospect that had quite a future in baseball. Last year, the young Venezuelan was honored as a Triple-A All-Star and made his big league debut. This year, he'll be doing everything in his power to earn another chance to compete at the top level of the sport.

Hernandez, a switch-hitter, made his professional debut with the Phillies' Venezuelan Summer League team in 2007. In two seasons there, he tallied a .296 batting average with three home runs and 45 RBI in 114 games. He followed that effort with a campaign in which he batted .267 with five doubles and a triple in 41 games for the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies in 2009.

The following season, with the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters, Hernandez was voted as the Most Valuable Player of the club by his teammates and was a New York-Penn League All-Star. Overall that season, Hernandez sported an impressive .325/.390/.392 line with 13 doubles and two triples in 65 games and placed second in the New York-Penn League in stolen bases, with 32.

His outstanding season with Williamsport led to Hernandez complete skipping full season Class A Lakewood. He played the entire 2011 season with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, where his offensive production took a dip (.268/.303./.333). With just 15 extra-base hits and 98 singles that year, increased power was something that the Phils’ brass and coaches were looking for when they assigned Hernandez a strengthening program during the following off-season.

In 2012, the 5-foot-10-inch 175-pounder was named as an All-Star in the Double-A Eastern League, as he sported a .304 average with 26 doubles, a league leading 11 triples, two homers and 51 RBI along with 16 steals in 104 games with the Reading Phillies. After July, Hernandez was promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he batted .248 with four doubles, a triple, six RBI and five steals in 30 games.

Last year, Hernandez began the season back at Triple-A where he tallied a .309 average along with 12 doubles, nine triples, two home runs and 34 RBI in 104 contests. After earning a cup of coffee with the big league Phils, Hernandez batted .289 with five doubles and 10 RBI in 34 games.

Improvement with being patient at the plate was evidenced last year by Hernandez lifting his walk rate to 9.3% in the minors, up from 5.4% in 2012. His strike out rate saw a boost as well though, coming in at a 18.1%, which was a 4.5% jump from the previous season.

The 23-year-old plays in the Venezuelan Winter League during the off-season. As a member of the Margarita Bravos for the fourth straight year, Hernandez posted a .254/.318/.347 line in 31 games this winter.

On the bases, Hernandez is a true speedster. He was successful in 32 of 40 chances (80% success rate) in the minors last season. His stolen base totals have steadily looked nice during his pro career, though he failed to steal safely in three opportunities in the big leagues last year.

Defensively, Hernandez’s range as an infielder is very good. Converted to an outfielder last year at the All-Star break, when he skipped representing the IronPigs in the annual exhibition in order to have a few extra days to work on his defensive transition with the Phillies' Double-A team, Hernandez still appears to be learning the new position and developing his reaction to batted balls. He committed four errors in 25 games as a minor league outfielder last season. The switch to the outfield will require some more work, but with the added versatility, his value is enhanced. Hernandez's arm is solid and capable of keeping aggressive runners from taking extra bags on balls in play.

Phillies developmental coaches like Hernandez's adaptability and feel his strength is hitting the ball to all fields. Maturing and learning outside of the game has helped the outgoing Hernandez when it comes to baseball as well. A focus on improving his English and fully adapting to the cultural changes that come with playing in the United States, has increased the his confidence and his ability to pick up more about the game from his coaches and peers.

With a competent bat, quick feet and some defensive depth Cesar Hernandez is the guy on this list that's closest to helping the big league team. It's likely he'll begin the 2014 season with Lehigh Valley but he'll possibly be the among the first position players that get the call when a roster spot with the Phillies opens up.

Click here to view the running list of this year's countdown.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

World Series Preview: Phillies vs. Astros

The Fall Classic is set to get underway on Friday with the Phillies opening on the road to take on the Astros in a best-of-seven series. This year marks 75 years since the first time a World Series was televised and this year each game will be broadcast on the FOX television network.  ESPN will have the radio broadcast and that feed can be streamed by using this link . Game 1 Friday, 8:03pm Eastern....in Houston.  RHP Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (18-4, 1.75 ERA).  In 16 road starts during the regular season this year, Nola notched a 5-9 record with a 3.00 ERA.  Nola has struck out 18 and walked three in 17 1/3 innings pitched this postseason.  Earlier this month, Nola tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Houston.  In 15 home starts during the regular season, Verlander sported a 10-1 record with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.  Verlander has a 5.68 ERA and has not recorded a win in seven career World Series starts.  Verlander has...

Prospect Nation 2012: #3 LHP Jesse Biddle

Left-handed starting pitcher Jesse Biddle redefines homegrown talent. Born and bred as a Phillies fan in the Philadelphia region, the youngster’s dreams came true in 2010, when he was selected 27th overall in that year’s amateur draft. Biddle wasted no time signing his first professional contract and quickly made his minor league debut, beginning his ascent toward donning the home uniform of the team he cheered on from the seats of Citizens Bank Park all throughout his teenage years. The graduate of Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia combined to sport a 4-1 record with a 3.92 ERA and a .241 batting average against in 12 starts with the Gulf Coast League Phillies and the Williamsport Crosscutters in 2010. In 2011, Biddle became an All-Star in the South Atlantic League with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. As the team's most dependable starter through much of the year, Biddle posted a 7-8 record with a 2.98 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) and struck out 124 batters in 133 innings...

Rappers in Phillies Caps

Weekend greetings to you phine pholks out there. Today's post features pictures of rappers wearing Phillies caps. Why rappers in Phillies caps, you ask? Because... Any other questions? We will start things off properly by going with a highly recognizable hip hop star. 50 Cent stays constantly relavant by consistantly creating radio friendly material to help sell (G) units, while he "keeps it real" by still rapping about the thug life he lived before becoming the 2nd highest earning black entertainer in America. 50 is seen here in a recent interview rocking a throw-back Phillies cap. Next up we'll use a throw-back screen cap from what may be the very first major appearance by a rapper wearing Phillies gear. Chuck D, of legendary rap group Public Enemy, wore a Phillies cap in the music video for rap anthem Fight The Power in 1989. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing . Next up we'll go with some home grown tal...