Righthanded pitcher Seth Hernandez never expected to hear his name touted among the 2025 MLB Draft elite. In sports, far more Goliaths than Davids tend to exist. That’s why we celebrate the stories and athletes that seemingly come out of nowhere.
By the same token, wherever the player ends up, people will follow his career path. For Hernandez, it’s tough to take the kudos in stride when you still struggle to believe your life is about to change.
Reality Check: RHP Seth Hernandez Marvels at His Path to the 2025 MLB Draft
Since the days of wool uniforms and copious amounts of chewing tobacco, baseball has revolved around pitching. Granted, runs win games. However, stopping others from scoring greatly contributes to the process. As tradition seems to dictate, several high school pitchers will hear their names called early during this year’s draft. Many of them see that day as the culmination of hard work and strategic planning.
Hernandez finds himself more talented than any hurler in this class yet still astonished to hear his name mentioned among the country’s best. The draft prospect spoke to Jared Carrabis of MLB Network during the draft combine.
“It’s super surreal. Honestly at times it doesn’t really sink in.”
No. 2 @MLBDraft prospect Seth Hernandez sits down with @Jared_Carrabis at the Combine to talk about being a potential first round pick. pic.twitter.com/5kqudD7DSl
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 17, 2025
“It’s super surreal. Honestly, at times it doesn’t really sink in. It’s really cool. Going back to my eighth-grade year, my freshman year, I would’ve never thought I would be in this situation. Obviously, as a kid, you dream of being a big leaguer. All this stuff that comes with it is super awesome. I am super blessed.”
MLB.com ranks him as the best pitching prospect in the draft. What makes him so effective, and what does he bring to the table?
First, if you look at his build, you see 190 pounds packed on a 6-foot-4 frame. Hernandez uses a combination of long limbs and leg drive to generate power. Over time, he could pack on 10-15 pounds and grow into his body to become a hurler who can last into the sixth or seventh innings without overwhelming fatigue. While MLB cites his fastball as his best pitch, the Corona, Calif., standout thinks his changeup will be his best.
Now, the effectiveness of the change completely depends on the velocity of the fastball. With enough separation in speed between the two, a great pitcher will force batters to swing ahead of the pitch. Hernandez’s heater sits in the mid-to-upper 90s.
If a franchise drafts Hernandez, he automatically becomes that club’s prized prospect, and the expectations will follow. However, since he appears still stunned by the process, maybe the expectations will not affect him. Either way, Hernandez sounds ready for the next step. The 2025 MLB Draft starts on July 13 in Atlanta, GA, and ends the next day.
