Yadiel Hernández

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Yadiel Hernández
Yadiel Hernández from Nationals vs. Braves at Nationals Park, April 6th, 2021 (All-Pro Reels Photography) (51101542676) (cropped).png
Hernández with the Washington Nationals in 2021
Washington Nationals – No. 29
Outfielder
Born: (1987-10-09) October 9, 1987 (age 34)
Matanzas, Cuba
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 10, 2020, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through 2021 season)
Batting average.266
Home runs10
Runs batted in38
Teams

Yadiel Hernández (born October 9, 1987) is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in the Cuban National Series for Matanzas.

Career[]

Hernández began his baseball career with the Cocodrilos in 2009.[1] After hitting .369 for Matanzas in the 2014–15 Cuban National Series, Hernández defected to the United States at age 28 along with Cuban national teammate Luis Yander La O in June 2015,[1] while they were in North Carolina for a game against American college baseball players.[2] Hernández was declared eligible to sign with a Major League Baseball team in April 2016.[3] In September 2016, the Washington Nationals, not usually a major player for Cuban talent, signed him to a minor league deal with a $200,000 signing bonus.[4]

After playing for the Class-AA Harrisburg Senators in 2017 and 2018, Hernández was promoted to Class-AAA. He hit his first professional grand slam on May 9, 2019, for the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League.[5] Along with teammate Dakota Bacus, he represented Fresno in the 2019 Triple-A All-Star Game.[6]

At age 32, Hernández was called up to the major leagues for the first time on September 10, 2020, after Nationals infielder Howie Kendrick was placed on the injured list.[7] He made his major league debut that day against the Atlanta Braves.

In 2021, he batted .273/.329/.413 with 9 home runs and 32 RBIs in 112 games. He had the slowest sprint speed of all major league left fielders, at 25.3 feet/second.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Tres prospectos cubanos esperan ser llamados por Grandes Ligas". Radio Televisión Martí. August 26, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  2. ^ "2 Cuban baseball players defect during U.S. trip". CBS News. July 3, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  3. ^ Todd, Jeff (September 21, 2016). "Nationals To Sign Cuban Outfielder Yadiel Hernandez". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  4. ^ Janes, Chelsea (October 26, 2016). "An unusual international signing: Yadiel Hernandez". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  5. ^ Romero, Francys (May 10, 2019). "Cubanos en Las Menores: Yadiel Hernández y la decepcionante gerencia de los Nacionales". CiberCuba. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  6. ^ "Two Grizzlies named to Triple-A All-Star team". Hanford Sentinel. June 28, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  7. ^ @dougherty_jesse (10 September 2020). "The Nationals have added Yadiel Hernandez in Howie Kendrick's place. Hernandez has a great story coming from Cuba a…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard". baseballsavant.com.

External links[]

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