Wood Ducks' Hernandez spins five no-hit frames
Jonathan Hernández has plenty of experience on the mounds of the Carolina League. That knowledge of the circuit is paying off for the Rangers' 14th-ranked prospect. Hernandez twirled five no-hit innings, yielding three walks and striking out six, as Class A Advanced Down East topped Myrtle Beach, 6-4, on Friday night
Jonathan Hernández has plenty of experience on the mounds of the Carolina League. That knowledge of the circuit is paying off for the Rangers' 14th-ranked prospect.
Hernandez twirled five no-hit innings, yielding three walks and striking out six, as Class A Advanced Down East topped Myrtle Beach, 6-4, on Friday night at Grainger Stadium.
Gameday box score
"My fastball and breaking pitchers were outstanding," he said. "Getting ahead with my fastball and using my slider when I got ahead in the count. When I was behind, I used my changeup to get a little balance and get a chance to put them away.
"In the bullpen, every time, I try to get my eliminator pitches ready right away. And it was just using my fastball in and away so I can use it on both sides of the plate."
Down East pitching coach Steve Mintz has been impressed with Hernandez's execution through two outings, noting the hurler is working on using his full repertoire.
"He's been trying to address his command and velocity and trying to pitch to spots," Mintz said. "He controlled the zone [tonight] and he throws harder than he thinks. For him right now, he's been using all of his pitches effectively. Tonight, he really harped on the fastball and changeup on the glove side. And then he was using the fastball and changeup on the other side with his slider. It's all about using combos with him."
Against the Pelicans, the 21-year-old threw 42 of 71 pitches for strikes and retired 11 of the 18 batters he faced on four pitches or fewer. Hernandez said he and Mintz prepared well for Friday's start, with a special attention on mixing locations to each hitter.
"I know I throw the ball mid-90s and I kind of throw the ball from the glove side and I try to make them swing the bat and see what happens," Hernandez added. "Me and my pitching coach, before the game we put a plan and we executed. We talked every time I went out and said, 'Let's do this, let's do this, let's do this.' That helps a lot, having a pitching coach to help me like that. We put a plan together and we executed well tonight."
In the first, Hernandez issued a five-pitch walk to P.J. Higgins before whiffing Vimael Machin and getting Tyler Alamo to pop out to shortstop to end the frame. He worked a clean second before pitching around walks in the third and fourth. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-hander punctuated his night with a 1-2-3 fifth, fanning Kevonte Mitchell and Connor Myers before turning things over to the bullpen.
Hernandez didn't realize after the fifth that the no-hitter was intact and said his focus was coming back out for another inning if the coaching staff asked for one.

"It was about keep pounding the zone and get the count in my favor -- 0-1, 0-2," he said. "That's my mindset every time. It's like a kill mindset, kill the hitter right away. I know I walked a guy in the fourth. I had sat down for a couple of minutes because it was a long inning before and I lost my rhythm a little bit. But after that, I was able to make good pitches and get out of the inning."
After a promotion to from Class A Hickory to Down East last June, the right-hander sported a 3.44 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with 64 strikeouts across 65 1/3 frames. In two starts with the Wood Ducks this season, Hernandez (1-1) has allowed one run, three hits and four walks while fanning 13 over nine innings.
The Memphis, Tennessee, native said being familiar with the league's intricacies helps with developing an approach each outing.
"Knowing each field, you've got to come in with a mindset like, 'All right, I need to keep the ball down,'" Hernandez said. "Some of the fields in this league the ball flies a lot. So I keep that in mind and throw the ball down and get ahead in the count."
Added to the Rangers' 40-man roster during the offseason, Hernandez is 25-25 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 402 1/3 innings across six professional seasons. Mintz said the goal for the Texas farmhand is to "string together these quality starts" with Down East before a promotion to a higher level.
"It was the right thing to see him come back here [to the Carolina League]," Mintz said. "He's working on those combos and not just the velocity. As an organization, we felt this was the best thing for him."
Charles Leblanc finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in three runs for Down East, while Blaine Prescott homered, doubled and collected a pair of RBIs.
Andrew Battifarano is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter, @AndrewAtBatt.
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring
'Hungry' Alcántara hoping to pounce on big league prey in '25
MESA, Ariz. -- The thing about jaguars is, you don’t want to see one when it’s hungry. So when Cubs legend Sammy Sosa spoke to the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and the No. 89 prospect overall -- the former slugger gave him some apt advice. “His
Rainiers broadcaster Pay talks historic role on MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Prospect Santos 'electric' in Spring Breakout start
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Malcolm Moore knew Winston Santos was locked in before he even threw a pitch. In the second annual Spring Breakout game, Santos -- the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was throwing to Moore, the Rangers’ No. 4 prospect and highest-ranked catcher. The battery more
Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.