Texas notes: Hernandez harnessing arsenal

Jonathan Hernández has never sought photographic evidence, but he's pretty sure he was in Minneapolis and Chicago in April 1997 to watch his father, Fernando, make his only two appearances as a right-handed reliever for the Detroit Tigers.
Forgive the younger Hernandez for not knowing for sure, though. After all, he was all of nine months old at the time.

"I've never looked for pictures, but I think I was there," Hernandez said. "I'm sure I was there."
Fast forward 22 years and Hernandez is like his father was then, and like the rest of Texas League prospects are now: a young ballplayer grinding toward what he hopes is a lengthy Major League career. Though he may be following in the footsteps of his father, he has his sights set on a longer stay once he gets there.
"It's good when you play two games, 10 games, whatever," he said. "When you play 10-15 years in the big leagues, that's what everyone wants."
The key to that, the right-hander said, is knowing his limitations.

Armed with a fastball that can reach 99 mph, Hernandez's main emphasis is on learning how to harness that velocity. He struggled at times in his first run through the Texas League in 2018, evidenced when he gave up nine runs in an August loss to San Antonio. But the eighth-ranked prospect in the Rangers system finished the year with four starts in which he allowed two runs or fewer, striking out 27 over 23 2/3 innings.
This season has started similarly. He held his first three opponents to three runs or fewer before giving up seven in the first inning of an April 24 loss to the Arkansas Travelers.
"Sometimes I'm executing the pitches I have to execute and I have success doing it," he said. "I don't care if I'm striking out 10. I just want to help the team win the game and go as far as I can."
Strikeout totals are part of what got him to this point, as he used his mix of fastball, curve, slider and changeup to strike out more than 12 batters per nine innings last year at Class A Advanced Down East. That earned him a promotion to Frisco, where he struck out eight batters per nine innings. He's fanning more than 10 batters per nine innings so far this year.
"I [did] just think about, 'I strike out everybody,'" he said. "But I've learned how to use the ability that I have. Right now, I'm just pitching."
His final four 2018 starts for the RoughRiders might have been successful because of that mind-set. But Hernandez thinks it could be because of another reason.
"My first game when everything started going good was when [my dad] came," he said. "It totally changed when I saw him in the stands."
If so, it could be of concern for Texas League hitters this year, too.
"He's coming next month," Hernandez said. "I'm hoping for the something."

In brief

On the mend: The highest-ranked prospect in the Texas League has had a rough start to 2019, and now he's landed on the injured list. Amarillo left-hander Adrian Morejon was placed on the seven-day IL on April 23 after reportedly suffering back and shoulder tightness. Morejon, ranked No. 46 on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects list, is 0-3 with a 6.59 ERA through four starts this season.
New challenge: Houston Astros' No. 8 prospect, Bryan Abreu, earned a quick promotion, moving from Class A Advanced Fayetteville to Double-A Corpus Christi on April 23. The right-hander had a 3.68 ERA in three starts at Fayetteville, fanning 25 in 14 2/3 innings. He was roughed up in his first outing for the Hooks, however, giving up four runs on three innings while striking out five.
Tied at the top: The home run lead is crowded through the first three weeks of the Texas League season. Entering Tuesday's games, seven hitters have each hit six homers: Tulsa's Zach Reks and Cody Thomas, Amarillo's Buddy Reed, Corpus Christi's Granden Goetzman, Frisco's Preston Beck, Northwest Arkansas' Gabriel Cancel, and Springfield's Irving Lopez.
Back at it: While one highly ranked prospect went on the injured list, another came off it. Arkansas first baseman Evan White, ranked No. 96 in baseball and No. 4 for the Mariners, returned April 24 from a mild hip flexor strain. He's struggled at the plate in his return, going 1-for-16 before Tuesday's games, but not in the field -- playing the type of defense that won him a Minor League Gold Glove Award last season.