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Atlanta Braves 2024 MLB Draft Roundup

Theo

Fourth round, pick 129: left-handed pitcher Herick Hernandez (Miami)

Miami junior Hernandez spent two years in JUCO before transferring to the ACC. This season, he posted a 6.14 ERA, a 28.7% strikeout rate and a 10.9% strikeout rate. The stats on paper aren’t great. This was clearly a budget pick given the expected bonus that will be paid to Caminiti early in this draft.

Hernandez is only 5’11” but weighs 180 pounds. He has always been above average in college speed on all pitches. Because of his shorter legs, he doesn’t get down the mound easily.

The fastball averaged over 20 inches of iVB in Miami and after ticking off that number to adjust to the new ball, his fastball is pretty similar to Dylan Lee. His atypical moves don’t stop there. His changeup wasn’t very effective for whiffing, but there’s room to work on. The offering averaged 87 MPH and 15 inches of arm-side travel.

His two breaking balls, a 77 mph curveball and an 82 mph slider, round out his arsenal. Together, those pitches have missed an average of 40 percent of the time.

His most likely outcome is in the bullpen, as his command isn’t great and he’s only averaging 4.2 innings per start. There are things to pray about, the mix from a stuff standpoint isn’t bad. The execution just needs to develop.

Round 5, Pick 161: C Nick Montgomery (Cypress HS, CA)

Montgomery stands at 6’4″ and weighs 200 pounds. His size alone allows him to generate a ton of power. He has a calm, still approach to the bat with little movement in his hands before the pitch. His swing is incredibly fast, though it can be a bit long at times.

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