Elier Hernández

American baseball player (born 1994)
Baseball player
Elier Hernández
Hernández with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2019
Texas Rangers – No. 38
Outfielder
Born: (1994-11-21) November 21, 1994 (age 29)
San Cristobal, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 14, 2022, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.182
Home runs0
Runs batted in3
Teams
  • Texas Rangers (2022)

Elier Hernández (born November 21, 1994) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder in the Texas Rangers organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2022 for the Rangers.

Career

Kansas City Royals

Hernández signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent on July 20, 2011.[1] He made his professional debut appearing in 60 games with the rookie-level Idaho Falls Chukars in 2012. He returned to the Chukars in 2013, slashing .301/.350/.439 with 3 home runs and 44 RBI in 66 games. In 2014, Hernández spent the season with the Single-A Lexington Legends, appearing in 111 games and hitting .264/.296/.393 with 9 home runs and 24 RBI.

In 2015, Hernández split the season between Lexington and the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, posting a cumulative .268/.312/.379 slash with 6 home runs, 54 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 124 contests. He played in 134 games for Wilmington the following year, batting .226/.281/.310 with 2 home runs and 43 RBI. For the 2017 season, he played in 46 games split between Wilmington and the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, hitting .317/.355/.489 with 5 home runs and 37 RBI between the two affiliates.

In 2018, Hernández played in 131 games split between Northwest Arkansas and the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, hitting a cumulative .285/.330/.374 with 3 home runs, 65 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. The following season, he spent the year with Omaha, playing in 112 games and hitting .245/.296/.364 with 10 home runs, and 36 RBI and 8 stolen bases. He elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2019. Hernández did not sign with a team and did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

Texas Rangers

On December 28, 2020, Hernández signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers organization.[3] He spent the 2021 season with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and the Triple-A Round Rock Express, posting a cumulative .231/.292/.394 slash with career-highs in home runs (16) and RBI (62) across 108 games. He was assigned to Round Rock to begin the 2022 season.

On July 14, 2022, Hernández was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[4] He collected his first career hit the same day, lacing a single off of Seattle Mariners starter Marco Gonzales.[5] He appeared in 14 games for the big league club, going 6-for-33 with 3 RBI. On August 16, Hernández was designated for assignment by the Rangers.[6] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Round Rock on August 22.[7] He elected free agency following the season on November 10.[8]

On January 6, 2023, Hernández re-signed with the Rangers on a minor league contract. In a 137 games for Triple–A Round Rock, he batted .298/.360/.478 with career–highs in home runs (18) and RBI (99). Hernández elected free agency following the season on November 6.[9]

On December 27, 2023, Hernández re-signed with the Rangers on a new minor league contract.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Dodd, Rustin (May 15, 2017). "Once a marquee amateur signing, Royals minor-leaguer Elier Hernandez maturing at his own pace". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  2. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  3. ^ "Elier Hernandez Stats & Scouting Report - Baseball America". www.baseballamerica.com. 5 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Rangers call up outfielder Elier Hernández for Thursday's game vs. Mariners". 14 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Watch: Rangers Elier Hernandez Has First MLB Hit". si.com. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  6. ^ "Rangers' Elier Hernandez: Cast off 40-man roster". cbssports.com. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  7. ^ "Rangers' Elier Hernandez: Stays in organization". cbssports.com. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  8. ^ "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "MiLB Transactions - November 6, 2023". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  10. ^ https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/rangers-sign-derek-hill-andrew-knapp-elier-hernandez-to-minors-contracts.html

External links

  • Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet