The Reds announced on Friday that they’ve designated right-hander Ariel Hernandez for assignment. His 40-man spot will go to righty Dylan Floro, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Louisville. Right-hander Tanner Rainey was optioned to Louisville to open a spot on the active roster for Floro, who’ll join the bullpen for tonight’s game.
Hernandez, 26, is best known for an electric fastball that he can run up into triple digits, though his big league debut in 2017 wasn’t particularly inspiring. Through 24 1/3 innings out of the Reds’ bullpen last year, the 6’4″, 230-pound righty posted a 5.18 ERA with and impressive 29 strikeouts against a disastrous 22 walks. He also served up six homers in that short time and posted a 42.9 percent ground-ball rate that was noticeably lower than his typically strong minor league marks.
That said, as a power arm with multiple minor league options remaining, Hernandez seems like the type of arm that could well command interest from other clubs — if not via trade then certainly on the waiver wire. It’s worth noting that Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper pointed out a spring velocity drop for Hernandez (Twitter link), which could very well have contributed to his DFA, though.
Floro, meanwhile, has 24 2/3 innings of big league experience and a 5.11 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 to show for it. While Hernandez struggles with his control, Floro specializes in preventing free passes, having only yielded 1.5 walks per nine innings in 245 2/3 frames at the Triple-A level. The 27-year-old has averaged just 5.9 K/9 at that level, but he’s also routinely posted ground-ball rates in the mid-50s and notched an impressive 61.6 percent grounder rate in Triple-A last year.
Hernandez’s stuff is electric. Just needs to refine his control. I would have kept him and DFA’ed Rainey. I’d be a little surprised if nobody claims Hernandez
Instead of letting a guy with a plus fastball and a plus plus hook eat innings in the bullpen they’re using Brice, Weiss, Rainey, etc.
I do not understand this organization.
Seems like a terrible idea for a rebuilding team to designate a player with that much potential and that has options remaining. Unless there is something personal going on here – he will be claimed.
I wouldn’t have DFA’d Ariel Hernandez but it’s also easy to see the justification – he walked 61 in 74.1 IP last year, between AA, AAA, and MLB. Definitely has electric stuff. Definitely has a great fastball and great second pitch. His stuff can be nearly unhittable, but he has never been able to consistently throw strikes. He has the raw stuff to be a MLB closer, but walks way too many guys to cut it in MLB. Until you know he’ll use that stuff to strike out the side rather than walk the bases loaded he won’t be a serious candidate for that role, though.
I joke that Ariel Hernandez was the most likely Reds pitcher to kill somebody… he throws the hardest, his pitches move the most, but he also has the least control over them. A dangerous, perhaps terrifying combination.
Regarding complaints about Tanner Rainey (above), Rainey has a similar profile, for better or worse. Also hits 100 MPH, also has a great secondary pitch, also has huge strikeout numbers, also possibly has the upside of a MLB closer. Unfortunately Rainey also walks too many guys, 33 in 62 IPs in 2017. That, however, is only about half as often as Ariel Hernandez, though. There’s no question I would prefer the organization to keep Rainey over Hernandez, although I’d have preferred to see them keep both. Despite a rough debut for Rainey there’s absolutely no way I’d be giving up on him yet.
Brice and Weiss are just different types of pitchers than boom-or-bust Hernandez and Rainey. They’re guys who generally throw strikes in the low to mid 90’s. They might not have closer upside, but they have a much better chance of carving out long careers as reliable middle relievers.
I suspect somebody will claim Ariel Hernandez, if only to DFA him again as a depth option. Any team that sticks with him in the majors has to be open to the possibility that he walks nearly a batter an inning.
This is why bankers shouldn’t run baseball teams. I think Williams is in over his head. No reason not to even go into the whole Bryan Price thing. It’s time to cut him down from the noose!
Seems like a good pick up for the Angels. Need more arms in the bullpen.