Seth Hernandez Could Be the Next Ace in Pittsburgh | Pirates Draft Breakdown

Well, there it is. The Pirates made their pick with the sixth overall selection in the 2025 MLB draft. They took right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez, a flamethrowing high school arm out of Corona High School in California. This wasn’t a safe pick. This was a swing for upside, a potential ace. And today we’re going to break down exactly what makes Hernandez such a high ceiling prospect, what the Pirates saw in him, and where he fits in the bigger picture of this team’s future. First off, let’s be clear. Hernandez has been the top high school pitcher in this draft class for years. Baseball America had him ranked as the number two overall prospect in the entire 2025 draft. They compared him to the likes of Hunter Green, McKenzie Gore, and Jackson Job. Some of the most electric prep arms in recent memory. The frame is ideal. 6’4, 195 lbs, clean delivery, and a 3/4 arm slot that screams durability, but it’s the stuff that makes him special. Mid to upper 90s fast ball that touches 100. A devastating circle change up that gets a plus plus grade. A slider that flashes sharp two plane bite. and a spike curveball with above average potential. That’s a legit four pitch mix from a 19-year-old. One scout even said, you know, he could have been a first round pick as a shortstop if he wasn’t pitching. That’s how athletic he is. Baseball America gave him a 70 grade change up and his fast ball, slider, and curve all grade out at 55 or above. But what may uh but what might be even more impressive is the control. It’s already above average thanks to a clean delivery and feel for sequencing. Rare for a high schooler. But let’s get real. High school pitchers are risky. So why did Ben Sherington the Pirates decide Seth Hernandez was the guy at number six? Because this is the type of upside you simply can’t buy. The fastball change up combo alone would make him a first round talent. Add in the athleticism, the projection, and the polish, and you’ve got a potential frontline starter here. Some scouts in the past might have thrown out Dylan Leco as a comp just based on the change up and arm speed, but the Pirates clearly believe Hernandez has a higher floor than that and a path to being more than just a tools guy. So, what’s next for Hernandez? He’ll uh he’ll need to tighten the slider, which can flatten at times. Command will need to continue to progress, but the Pirates have a strong track record developing arms recently. Just look at Skins, Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler. Uh, and the Pirates clearly believe in his makeup and work ethic, too. MLB.com reported that he takes pride in his daily routine, and scouts raved about his composure under pressure. There’s a reason people believed he could have been the first high school ready ever taken first overall. Uh, and Pittsburgh got him at six. So, how does this fit into the bigger pit uh the bigger puzzle, right? The Pirates have skins already in the majors. Jared Jones is flashing a flashing ace potential when he’s healthy and a wave of pitching on the way in the minors. Adding Hernandez gives them one of the deepest young pitching pipelines in baseball and maybe the most upside, too. Sure, it’ll take time. Don’t expect to see him at PNC Park in the next year or two, but this is a long play and if Hernandez hits, you’re looking at a future front of the rotation that could dominate the NL Central for the rest of this decade. Let us know what you think. Did the Pirates get it right with Seth Hernandez at number six? Would you have gone with a bat like Ava Arquette or Billy Carlson instead? Drop your thoughts below and be sure to subscribe for more Pirates coverage and trade deadline talk coming up. This is Northshore 9 and hey, it’s not too early to dream about a future rotation of Paul Ske, Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler, and Seth Hernandez.

The Pittsburgh Pirates used the 6th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft to select high school right-hander Seth Hernandez — one of the most electric arms in the class. In this video, we break down everything you need to know: his elite fastball-changeup combo, why scouts are so high on him, how he fits into the Pirates’ long-term plans, and what comes next in his development.

Was this the right pick for Ben Cherington and the Bucs? Can Hernandez become the next ace in a rotation that already features Paul Skenes and Jared Jones?

We’ve got the full scouting report, comps, risk factors, and instant reaction from the North Shore Nine crew.

Clips courtesy of Josh Norris/Baseball America (https://x.com/jnorris427/status/1910501037380632703) and Kiley McDaniel/ESPN (https://x.com/kileymcd/status/1912212710130929859)

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6 comments

  5. Honestly the only college guy that I wouldve mayyybe preferred was Arquette. Those were the last guys from "that tier" for me so im just glad they picked one. Now go buy hitting.

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