Hernandez is coming off of a nine strikeout performance on Tuesday
The Atlanta Braves will send three breakout prospect candidates to the mound on Sunday, starting with 2024 fourth round pick Herick Hernandez. Hernandez has been nothing short of brilliant in his short professional career, and will get a second chance to rack up strikeouts against the Asheville Tourists
Schedule
Gwinnett Stripers vs Lehigh Valley IronPigs 1:05 PM ET
Probable Starters
GWN: Davis Daniel (0-1, 5.40 ERA))
LHV: TBD
Gwinnett is facing off against an IronPigs team that has been off to a hot start behind 2023 first round pick Justin Crawford, but they have managed to come away with three wins so far and will look to go for a series win on Sunday. They’re sending Davis Daniel to the mound to try to get that win, with Daniel hoping to bounce back from an atrocious four run, two-out outing on Tuesday. Infielders Eddy Alvarez and Eddys Leonard have been the power behind Gwinnett’s success this week, with each having two home runs. The Stripers will be hoping to get more of a contribution from recent promotion Carlos Rodriguez, who raked in Columbus and has reached base three times in two games.
Columbus Clingstones vs Pensacola Blue Wahoos 1:05 PM ET
Probable Starters
COL: TBD
PNS: Luis Palacios (0-0, 1.29 ERA)
Columbus hasn’t named an official starter for their Sunday matchup, but if they keep the line moving it should be Blake Burkhalter who is coming off of a masterpiece against this Pensacola squad. Burkhalter struck out eight hitters over 5 2⁄3 scoreless innings. Opposing him will be lefty starter Luis Palacios, who has allowed one run across seven innings in two appearances this season. Palacios faced Mississippi four times last season and allowed 14 earned runs over 18 1⁄3 innings, though seven of those came in a single start. Columbus will hope that Cal Conley can keep his strong series (6 hits, .450 OBP) going, as outside of him and two games from Cody Milligan no other Mississippi hitter has better than a .599 OPS this series.
Rome Emperors vs Asheville Tourists 1:00 PM ET
Probable Starters
ROM: Herick Hernandez (0-0, 2.25 ERA)
ASH: Yeriel Santos (0-1, 9.39 ERA)
Herick Hernandez got the better of this pitching matchup on Tuesday, but the Emperors can’t take this game for granted. Yeriel Santos is getting the ball for Asheville, and though he allowed four runs over four innings in relief on Tuesday, he also struck out seven Emperors hitters and walked only one. Hernandez will also have an interesting left-on-left matchup against the Astros 12th-ranked prospect Joseph Sullivan. Hernandez struck out and forced a pop up in their two matchups on Tuesday, but Sullivan has been a thorn for Rome this series with two home runs. Rome will need some offensive momentum, and the hope is that coming off of his big day Titus Dumitru can keep his incredible series going. Dumitru has reached base 11 times in five games, and carried Rome to a win with four RBI on Saturday.
Augusta GreenJackets vs Myrtle Beach Pelicans 5:05 PM ET
Probable Starters
AUG: Luis Arestigueta (0-0, 4.50 ERA)
MB: Brooks Caple (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
Augusta will be running out their teenage phenom Luis Arestigueta, who in his 2025 debut looked ready to have a terrific season. Arestigueta struck out four and walked none across four innings last Sunday, but now has a battle against a Myrtle Beach team with six home runs this series. Myrtle Beach will be sending Brooks Caple to the mound, a ninth round pick from last season with a contact-oriented approach. For a young team with a lot of swing-and-miss the hope is that this can play in Augusta’s favor, and maybe Nick Montgomery can hit a home run for a third straight game.