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Ronaldo Hernandez, C
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Scouting report
For a little while this offseason, Hernandez was the only catcher on the Rays 40-man. Then Mike Zunino signed, and Francisco Mejía was acquired via trade, and now Hernandez is part of a very volatile mix of strikeout-prone catchers with, especially where Mejía and Hernandez are concerned, big defensive questions. If you just look at raw tools, Hernandez compares to Gary Sánchez and is not only a potential everyday catcher but one who might have real impact. He has big raw power and run-stopping, plus-plus arm strength, but his approach is bad (which might impede the power), and his swing only generates power in certain parts of the zone. He loads his hands very high and deep and then cuts down through the typical hitting zone, which causes Hernandez's power to come toward the top of the zone and out in front when his swing starts to lift, making his point of impact of paramount importance to his power production. My crude video analysis of my in-person looks at Hernandez compared to his 2020 spring training and alt site swings show his footwork has changed. He's starting with an open stance and using more of a leg kick than before. If it improves his timing, this change will be important, and I've slid Hernandez up from the 40+ tier based on it. But his defensive ability, specifically the receiving, might still be a problem and is part of why Kevan Smith was ahead of him on last year's depth chart. He's still a high-variance prospect with some flaws that may be exploited in a significant way at the big league level, but Hernandez has a shot to be an everyday player due to his power. Boston acquired Hernandez for pitching depth in February. (Alternate site)