Pirates Top 30 Prospects No. 3: ’25 First-Round Pick Seth Hernandez Has it All
This is one in a series of stories breaking down PBN’s Top 30 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects.
It was somewhat a surprise to see Seth Hernandez fall into the Pirates’ lap with the sixth pick of the 2025 draft. Sure, high school pitching is considered the riskiest demographic to draft in baseball, but his upside is hard to ignore.
The 19-year-old was considered one of the top prep pitcher available in years after a stellar high school career in Corona, Calif. During his senior season, Hernandez went 9-1 with a 0.39 ERA and struck out 105 batters against seven walks in 53.1 innings. He was named the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year.
Hernandez was committed to play collegiately for Vanderbilt but opted to sign with the Pirates for $7.25 million, just below the $7.56 million slot value attached to the sixth pick.
Hernandez has everything you’d want in a pitcher. He has a deep and impressive pitch mix headlined by a power-fastball that already flirts with triple digits and routinely sits in the mid-90s. He complements his fastball with a plus-changeup, a plus-curveball and an above-average slider.
In addition to his strong repertoire, Hernandez is extremely polished for a player out of high school. He’s able to command his pitches and moves athletically on the mound. His 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame — with room to fill out — adds to his appeal.
The Pirates have had a good track record when it comes to developing pitching from both the high school and college ranks. Paul Skenes is destined to win the National League Cy Young award after winning Rookie of the Year in 2024. Bubba Chandler, Braxton Aschcraft and Mike Burrows all impressed during their respective first true looks in the big leagues this past season.
Hernandez has all the makings to be next in line in that development. He did not appear in an affiliate game after he was drafted, so his professional career won’t start until 2026.
But once it does, Hernandez has not only the potential to emerge as the Pirates’ top prospect in time, but one of the top prospects in all of baseball.
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