All In a Day's Work

Cristian Hernandez has to wait an additional six months to sign his first pro contract, but he will be ready

- By Josh Norris

One of the top players available in this year’s international class, Cristian Hernandez has earned plenty of accolades for a swing that has drawn comparisons with Manny Machado and an all-around game that reminds some of a young Alex Rodriguez.

Even so, Hernandez said his most memorable moment in baseball came not in the batter’s box, but on the mound.

Playing as a 12-year-old in a tournament in the Dominican Republic, Hernandez—who was a do-everything utility player back then—was on the mound late in a game when his coach gave him the hook and sent him to second base.

The pitcher who relieved Hernandez gave up the runs that eventually cost his team the game and its spot in the tournament. Years later, the moment still stings.

“That’s something I haven’t forgotten,” Hernandez said, with the help of a translator, “because it really hurt me a lot to lose that tournament.”

Hernandez’s pitching days are behind him now, and he is widely expected to sign a seven-figure deal with the Cubs once the international signing period opens. Normally, that would happen on July 2, but the coronavirus pandemic has shaken up everything in the sport. The international signing period is no exception. It has been pushed back to Jan.15.