Nick Hernandez

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Nick Hernandez

|image=Nick Hernandez (250123-M-JB267-1769) (cropped).jpg

|caption=Hernandez in 2025

|team=Houston Astros

|number=72

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{bda|1994|12|30}}

|birth_place=Missouri City, Texas, U.S.

|debutleague=MLB

|debutdate=September 12

|debutyear=2023

|debutteam=San Diego Padres

|statyear = 2024 season

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 0–0

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 9.00

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 15

|teams=

San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2023}})
Houston Astros ({{mlby|2024}}–present)

}}

Nicholas Cody Hernandez (born December 30, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres. He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Career

=Amateur career=

Hernandez is from Missouri City, Texas. He graduated from Dulles High School in Sugar Land, Texas. Hernandez played college baseball for Alvin Community College for two seasons, and transferred to the University of Houston for the 2016 season, where he was the closer for the Houston Cougars.

=Houston Astros=

The Houston Astros selected Hernandez in the eighth round, with the 247th overall selection, of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. He spent his first professional season with the Low–A Tri-City ValleyCats and Single–A Quad Cities River Bandits, accumulating a 1.73 ERA across 19 appearances.{{Cite web|title=Nick Hernandez Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/10551-nick-hernandez/|access-date=April 26, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}} In 2017, Hernandez made 38 appearances out of the bullpen split between the High–A Buies Creek Astros and Double–A Corpus Christi Hooks, registering a combined 3.38 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 10 saves across {{fraction|58|2|3}} innings pitched. He underwent Tommy John surgery prior to the 2018 season and missed the entire year as a result.{{Cite web|title=Hooks still in Texas League first half race despite roster turnover|url=https://www.caller.com/story/sports/local/baseball/corpus-christi-hooks/2019/06/10/hook-still-texas-league-first-half-race-despite-roster-turnover/1404210001/|access-date=April 26, 2024|website=caller.com|language=en}}

Hernandez split the 2019 season between Corpus Christi and the High–A Fayetteville Woodpeckers, pitching to a combined 4.02 ERA with 37 strikeouts across 23 contests. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web | last=Adler | first=David | title=2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled | website=MLB.com | date=2020-06-30 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled | access-date=2024-10-23}} He returned to action in 2021 with Corpus Christi, also making one appearance in Triple–A. In 32 games for the Hooks, Hernandez recorded a 1.67 ERA with 68 strikeouts and 6 saves in 54 innings.{{Cite web|title=Nick Hernandez - Baseball Stats|url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/200279/|access-date=April 26, 2024|website=thebaseballcube.com|language=en}} In 2022, he spent the year with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys, appearing in 48 games and posting a 5–5 record and 3.92 ERA with 77 strikeouts across {{fraction|59|2|3}} innings of work.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fortbendstar.com/sports/dulles-alum-s-mlb-pursuit-coming-full-circle-in-sugar-land/article_40a97180-f734-11ec-aa39-c7a520b5b3b9.html|title=Dulles alum's MLB pursuit coming full circle in Sugar Land|date=June 28, 2022|website=Fort Bend Star}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/brian-t-smith/article/Smith-Corey-Julks-Nick-Hernandez-chart-course-17223523.php|title=Corey Julks, Nick Hernandez chart course from UH to Space Cowboys to (they hope) Astros|date=June 6, 2022 }} Hernandez elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.{{Cite web|title=2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-23-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=April 26, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 13, 2022 |language=en}}

=San Diego Padres=

On February 3, 2023, Hernandez signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.{{Cite web|title=Padres Select Nick Hernández|url=https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/amp/padres_select_nick_hernandez/s1_13237_39242777|access-date=January 3, 2024|website=yardbarker.com|date=September 11, 2023 |language=en}} He began the 2023 season in Triple-A with the El Paso Chihuahuas.

On September 11, 2023, Hernandez was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2023-09-11/padres-pregame-robert-suarez-activated-tim-hill-to-60-day-il-nick-hernandez-called-up|title=Padres pregame: Robert Suarez activated; Tim Hill to 60-day IL; Nick Hernandez called up|date=September 11, 2023|website=San Diego Union-Tribune}} He made his MLB debut the following day.{{cite web | url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2023-09-12/padres-dodgers-michael-wacha-fernando-tatis-nick-hernandez | title=No comeback this time as Dodgers rout Padres | date=September 13, 2023 }} In two appearances for San Diego, he allowed four runs on three hits with five strikeouts in three innings of work. Following the season on November 6, Hernandez was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A El Paso Chihuahuas; he elected free agency the same day.{{cite web | title=Padres' Nick Hernandez: Loses roster spot | website=CBSSports.com | date=2023-11-06 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/padres-nick-hernandez-loses-roster-spot/amp/ | access-date=2025-02-16}}

Hernandez re-signed with the Padres on a minor league contract on January 26, 2024.{{cite web | title=Transactions | website=MiLB.com | date=2024-01-26 | url=https://www.milb.com/transactions/2024-01-26 | access-date=2025-02-16}} In 17 games for Triple–A El Paso, he recorded a 1.90 ERA with 34 strikeouts across {{fraction|23|2|3}} innings pitched.

=Houston Astros (second stint)=

On June 4, 2024, the Padres traded Hernandez back to the Houston Astros in exchange for cash considerations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/nick-hernandez-acquired-trade-padres-19495651.php|title=Astros acquire minor league reliever Nick Hernandez in trade with Padres|first=Matt|last=Kawahara|date=June 4, 2024|work=Houston Chronicle|accessdate=June 5, 2024}} The next day, the Astros selected his contract, adding him to their active roster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/houston-astros-nick-hernandez-parker-mushinski-aaa-19496852.php|title=Astros add Nick Hernandez, option Parker Mushinski to Triple-A|first=Matt|last=Kawahara|date=June 5, 2024|work=Houston Chronicle|accessdate=June 5, 2024}} In 5 appearances for Houston, Hernandez struggled to a 7.88 ERA with 10 strikeouts over 8 innings of work.

Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Houston Astros reassign three players to minor league camp, offering hint of season-opening roster|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/salazar-whitcomb-hernandez-reassigned-minors-20228525.php|access-date=March 28, 2025|website=houstonchronicle.com|language=en}}