A continuing look at the Rangers 40-man roster.

JONATHAN HERNANDEZ
Age: 25
Right-Handed Pitcher

When you throw 100 miles per hour, people are going to want you on their roster. 

The Rangers signed Hernandez as a international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, even though he was actually born in Memphis since his father played minor league baseball there.

Hernandez worked his way up through the system, represented the Rangers in the 2017 All-Stars Futures Game, and was finally promoted to Texas in 2019. He picked up a win in his first big league appearance, two and a third scoreless innings against the Angels. 

In 2020, the six-foot-three righty struck out thirty-one batters in thirty-one innings, walking eight, mostly used as the eighth-inning man. 

It’s not too hard to see the Rangers inserting Hernandez as their closer at some time in 2021. Especially now that they have traded Montero, and Leclerc is coming off shoulder surgery and might not bounce back to form.