Grading The White Sox Top Prospects This Season: No. 28, Ronny Hernandez

A very under-the-radar prospect for the Sox, Ronny Hernandez has yet to get in a game for any of the White Sox minor league teams. He has only suited up for the White Sox in the Dominican Summer League and the Arizona Complex League. It says a lot about Hernandez that he is ranked on the White Sox top 30 list before stepping foot on a minor league field, and before turning 19 years old. He was recently activated to the Cannon Ballers, but he did not appear in a game. It seems that is a move for next year to get him properly prepared.

Hernandez was a part of a solid international signing class in 2022 for the Chicago White Sox. He ended up signing out of Venezuela for 30,000 as a 17-year-old. He finally made his way to the United States this year and he performed well once he got stateside.

In the Arizona Complex league, Hernandez has hit .338 with 3 home runs and 36 RBIs in 45 games. All of this came as an 18-year-old kid, almost two years younger than the average player in the Arizona Complex league. These are a few of the reasons why he has made his way onto the White Sox top 30 prospect list already.

Since he is so young, it is likely he will continue to rise up the prospect boards, maybe even cracking the top 100 in all of baseball, as he is doing well with and against players who are significantly older than him. It will depend on how he plays next year with the Cannon Ballers, as that will be his first true test of minor league and even better competition.

His left-handed bat is something that scouts covet in catchers they love having a catcher that hits lefty but throws right-handed. According to MLB, his right arm is very dangerous, as he threw out 51% percent of base stealers in the Dominican Summer League. That is well above average and even if it drops a little bit as he rises through the minor league system, he will be still well above average. If he can help the Sox throw runners out, it would be huge, because the White Sox can't hold runners for the life of them.

Overall, Hernandez is a very raw, but projectable prospect. He has the ability to hit for power but is someone who currently hits in the gaps. As he gets older, the power should come and hopefully turn into a power-hitting left-handed catcher.

I would give him an A. He has made it to minor league ball at 18 but has not yet played a game. He is younger than most of the players at the levels he played and he put in a great performance. He will be a fun prospect to watch and one that could truly develop into a star.