2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 38: Ronny Hernandez
While the defense needs development, the bat is prime time
Ronny Hernandez
Catcher
6´1´´
200 pounds
Age: 19
2023 SSS Top Prospect Ranking 78
2023 High Level ACL (Rookie)
Age relative to high level -1.8 years
SSS rank among all catchers in the system 4
Overall 2023 stats 45 games ⚾️ 3 HR ⚾️ 36 RBI ⚾️ .338/.430/.493 ⚾️ 22 BB ⚾️ 35 K ⚾️ 10-of-43 (23.3%) CS
Ronny Hernandez was signed for the 2022 season out of Turmero, Venezuela, to little fanfare.
Well, get the fans flaring, because one year in, and well into age-appropriate range, Hernandez genuinely impressed. And despite more over-the-top offensive seasons from the likes of Loidel Chapelli Jr., Godwin Bennett and Carlos Jiménez, as a catcher with a powerful arm and a system devoid of backstops Hernandez might just be the best catch.
(For perspective on Ronny’s right arm, the DSL average caught-stealing rate was 29% in 2022 — Hernandez put up a 51%.)
In 2023, Hernandez didn’t miss a stride in adjusting to life Stateside, slightly improving his numbers against older and more talented competition. He DH’d in 16 games, but with almost double that behind the plate, the White Sox have not been tempted to try sticking his bat at a corner infield spot and are dedicated to keeping him at catcher (and as their clear No. 1 young backstop). His runners-caught took a huge dive in the Complex League, however, so expect a lot of work getting his pop time more in line with his arm strength.
Hernandez’s Baseball Cube player ratings
RBIs 95 (+1 from last season)
Hitting 83 (+13)
Power 79 (-12)
Contact 75 (-6)
XBH 71 (-22)
Durability 69 (+10)
Runs 38 (-31)
Speed 17 (+3)
Hernandez could well have seen some time in Kannapolis in 2023, so he surely will start there in 2024, with eyes directly on Winston-Salem by summer’s end.
[Note: The makeup of the White Sox minors changes over the long course of this project, shifting ratings. The February 3 trades with Seattle and Arizona have added three highly-rated prospects to our list, sliding players down. The list below represents our updated rankings, although the stories they link to will retain original rankings (example, No. 56 Troy Claunch originally was our No. 55 prospect).]
2024 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox Prospects
38. Ronny Hernandez, C
39. Tim Elko, 1B
40. Mario Camilletti, 2B
41. Kohl Simas, RHSP
42. Shawn Goosenberg, 1B
43. Norge Vera, RHSP
44. Riley Gowens, RHSP
45. Jared Kelley, RHRP
46. Ryan Galanie, 1B
47. DJ Gladney, LF
48. Eddie Park, CF
49. Yoelqui Céspedes, CF
50. Christian Oppor, LHSP
51. Michael Turner, C
52. Tristan Stivors, RHRP
53. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
54. Jake Peppers, RHSP
55. Shane Murphy, LHRP
56. Troy Claunch, C
57. Edrick Felix, 2B
58. Gabriel Rodríguez, RHSP
59. Edgar Navarro, RHRP
60. Lucas Gordon, LHSP
61. Andrew Pérez, LHRP
62. Javier Mogollon, 2B
63. Aldrin Batista, RHSP
64. Ryan Castillo, 1B
65. Bryce Willits, 3B
66. Colby Smelley, C
67. Wes Kath, 3B
68. Alsander Womack, 2B
69. Jordan Sprinkle, SS
70. Connor McCullough, RHSP
71. Luis Rodriguez, RHRP
72. Jonah Scolaro, LHRP
73. Ben Beutel, LHRP
74. Stiven Flores, C
75. Adrian Gil, 1B
76. Yohemy Nolasco, RHRP
77. Ben Norman, LF
78. Josimar Cousín, RHSP
79. Juan Gonzalez, C
80. Chris Lanzilli, LF
81. Alex Speas, RHRP
82. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
83. Garrett Wright, RHRP
84. Duke Ellis, CF
85. Mathias LaCombe, RHRP
86. Godwin Bennett, RF
87. Rikuu Nishida, LF
88. Caden Connor, LF
89. Zach Franklin, RHRP
90. Jeremy González, LHSP
91. Jerry Burke, RHRP
92. Frankeli Arias, LHSP
93. Mikey Kane, 3B
94. Carlton Perkins, RHSP
95. Tyler Neslony, LF
96. Drew Dalquist, RHSP
97. Jason Matthews, SS
98. Jonathan Stiever, RHSP
99. Tommy Sommer, LHSP
100. Daniel González, LHRP