The Red Sox announced to reporters, including Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, that catcher Ronaldo Hernandez has been outrighted to Triple-A Worcester. Their 40-man roster is now at 39.
Hernandez, 25, was a Rays prospect who they added to their 40-man roster prior to the Rule 5 draft in November of 2019. He was acquired by the Red Sox prior to the 2021 season in the deal that sent Jeffrey Springs to Tampa. In his first year in Boston’s system, things went quite well for Hernandez. In 99 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, he hit .284/.326/.501 for a wRC+ of 122. However, he took a step back in 2022, hitting .261/.297/.451 for a wRC+ of 93.
Prospect reports on Hernandez have indicated that his blocking and receiving need some work but his power at the plate continued to draw strong marks. He did still hit 17 long balls this year, but he’s never really been able to draw many walks, as indicated by this year’s 4.8% rate. The Red Sox have long had Christian Vázquez as their primary backstop but traded him to the Astros this year and he’s now a free agent. With the outright of Hernandez, they’re left with Reese McGuire and Connor Wong as the two catchers on their 40-man roster at present.
There had been no public indication that Hernandez had been designated for assignment or placed on waivers but he evidently was passed through in recent days. Hernandez will stick in the organization as depth but without taking up a roster spot. With a spot open, the Sox could potentially be lining up a signing but it also could be with an eye towards next week’s Rule 5 draft. Boston grabbed Garrett Whitlock from the Yankees in the 2020 version of the Rule 5.
Perhaps A viable new catcher is on his way.
Casas, Dalbec, Houck for Sean Murphy
Your name checks out
Thats ways too much!
This is trash.
Sorry I just threw that out there. Talking smack. I hope you guys get a great catcher, and not give up too many prospects. Hope you guys sign some free agents and make 2023 a successful season in Beantown because baseball is better when the Red Sox are fighting for the AL East down to the wire.
I wouldn’t be concerned. None of the comments actually supplied any analysis. Casas is a very highly-regarded prospect, who looked very good in his debut. He’d be a very good down-payment towards Murphy.
According the BTW, which I only use to ballpark things, they have Murphy being worth 51.3, Casas worth 41.3, Duran worth 5.9, and Dalbec worth 0.8. I don’t pay too much attention to BTV, but they aren’t crazy either.
I think it would take at least that to get Murphy the problem he isn’t really a need for the Red Sox and I hope they don’t pay the freight on him. He is going to cost a ton and the the Red Sox have to perfectly fine defensive catchers. Let Cleveland and St. Louis duke it out for him. He is going to be traded though and for a huge haul.
Hernandez is not really very good defensively Wong is much better defensively and Wong hit in AAA has the same kind of power but much better defensively Hernandez was expendable.
Chaim Bloom should option himself to AAA.
Making room to sign Messi?
making for AA addition with high hopes!
30 Parks = ass take.
What a terrible move! How do they outright a promising, young catcher over a useless player like Kaleb Ort? Bloom is really proving how inept he is as a talent evaluator. Hernandez is a legitimate MLB prospect at catcher. Maybe he only becomes a #2 catcher, but he can hit and play decent defense as well. I would have chosen 4 to 5 other prospects on their 40-man over Hernandez. I’m equally shocked that no other team claimed him. This guy has legit MLB skills. Sox got very lucky he went unclaimed on waivers.
Hernandez is still with the Sox.
Ort won’t last until March.
Halos need to get this guy. Been in pro ball since 2015 when he was 17. Career .285 hitter. Give him a shot in the show!
The Halos acquired their starting catcher already in the Marsh Trade
Possibly. Couldn’t hurt to get this guy and start him in AAA. See how he does.
Bloom is really proving how inept he is as a talent evaluator. Hernandez is a legitimate MLB prospect at catcher.
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You need to stop being reflexively anti-Bloom.
1-You just called Hernandez a legitimate MLB prospect. Since he snuck through waivers, apparently there are 30 GMs that disagree with you.
2-He saved both prospects. Kindly explain how that was inept?
Dorthy, Hernandez just isn’t that good. His defense is subpar his offense is OK for a catcher but he was far inferior defensively and offensively to Wong at AAA. Maybe he takes strides defensively at AAA this year but right now he’s a distant 3rd on the depth chart behind McGwire and Wong.
Lol. Bloom holds nothing on you, to be sure. He could learn a lot from your posts.
Hernandez can’t catch LMAO. If he had any decent set of skills back there, the Red Sox wouldn’t have even gotten him. He’d still be with the Rays.
There’s a reason he went unclaimed. But go off like a dummy about Chaim Bloom.
Looks like the Red Sox are clearing space for someone. Murphy? Vazquez?
I’d like to have that Springs trade back.
The Tigers need a catcher.
Any ideas?
Best trade Rays have made recently. It’s not a trade that was driven by luck inasmuch as the Paredes trade (with Meadows being injured), but development. I thought Mazza was going to work out. With the pitching injuries TB had, it seemed like they rushed him. The last season was a lost one.