Boston Red Sox: Potential prospect help for 2016
By Rick McNair
Aug 7, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a baseball and glove prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
I have written about Marco Hernandez a few times and find his path to development intriguing. Hernandez is a PTBNL that was shipped to the Boston system to complete the deal that sent Felix Doubront to the Cubs. A PTBNL is usually an after-thought and one who is on the cusp of being a legitimate prospect.
Hernandez discovered some type of hitting elixir when he reported for duty at Portland in the Eastern League. Hernandez made the EL All-Star team and slashed .326/.349/.482 with five home runs and 31 RBI in 282 at bats. The OBP certainly shows that Marco is not one to bleed a count.
The next path for Hernandez was a call-up to Pawtucket where his initial foray into the IL was disappointing, but Hernandez recovered from advancement shock and produced a solid slash of .271/.300/.409.
Expect the now 23-year-old Hernandez to be starting at Pawtucket. Being added to the precious 40-man roster virtually insures that. The left-hand hitting Hernandez is best suited – according to scouting reports – at second base, but Hernandez has spent the bulk of his minor league career at short and has also seen duty at third. Expect him to move around since that is what the Red Sox have a tendency to do. Even some outfield innings would not surprise.
I expect Hernandez to have a potential future for Boston as a reserve infielder. At Pawtucket, there will also be Josh Rutledge and unless Rutledge is traded expect him to be the first call-up if a need arises, but do not discount Hernandez – after all, David Ortiz was once a PTBNL.