Who Am I?
Teoscar Hernandez
Outfielder
Age: 24
Height: 6′ 2″
Weight: 180
Bats right, throws right
How Did I Get Here?
Hernandez signed with the Astros as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2011. He was added to the 40-man roster upon his call up in August 2016.
Contract status:
Hernandez has three full option years remaining.
Why Am I Here?
Hernandez is part of a crowded minor league outfield situation. While the Astros’ team site has him listed as a left fielder, his ability (or lack thereof) to man center field may ultimately determine his fate with the organization.
What Are My Strengths?
Well, Teoscar is unique. Upon his major league debut, Teoscar Hernandez became the first – and thus far, only – Teoscar in the history of major league baseball. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
Hernandez – or “Teo” as many affectionately call him – has speed to burn, and absolutely no conscience about stealing a base. In the minors, he’s been good for at least 30 steals per full season, and he stays around a 75% success rate – not great, but good enough to keep running. He has also shown 10-15 HR levels of pop.
What Are My Weaknesses?
While 10-15 HR pop is nice, it typically isn’t a carrying tool at a corner outfield spot. And Hernandez isn’t especially patient – certainly not to the degree that a speedster would need to offset a lack of power.
Between the two, Hernandez could still be fine with the bat as a center fielder. Unfortunately, his 15 games in center field at the major league level could charitably be called “adventurous”. He’s certainly closer to Biggio than Marisnick on the “center field defensive spectrum” at the moment.
Loves to hit: Teo jumped on lefties to the tune of .278/.381/.500 during his major league stint, leading to early questions of whether he would be a good platoon candidate.
Hates to hit: Unsurprisingly for a rookie, Teo struggled behind in the count, managing a meek 3 for 29 when behind.
What is my future with the Astros?
Completely up in the air. Can Springer be an effective center fielder? Can Marisnick really develop as a hitter? Can Hernandez actually play center field without causing cringe-related facial injuries to the fanbase? His potential ranges from “never more than occasional cups of coffee” to “regular center fielder.”
What is my projected 2017 performance?
| PA | BA | OBP | SLG | H | HR | RBI | SB | CS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 (MLB) | 112 | .230 | .304 | .420 | 23 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 2016 (minors) | 558 | .287 | .358 | .426 | 141 | 10 | 57 | 39 | 15 |
| PECOTA | 34 | .234 | .287 | .392 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| ZIPS | 567 | .224 | .279 | .363 | 116 | 14 | 55 | 21 | 11 |
| MMWAG | 50 | .200 | .280 | .325 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
Who else would I remind you of?
A certain former Astro earned the nickname “Crazy Ivan” for his rather indirect outfield routes, in a nod to an increasingly topical movie:
Russian captains sometime turn suddenly to see if anyone’s behind them. We call it “Crazy Ivan.” The only thing you can do is go dead. Shut everything down and make like a hole in the water.
For his sake, let’s hope Teo doesn’t go on to guest star on a horrible Netflix sitcom sequel/reboot.
