Scotland Campus Sports’ Ruben Hernandez scanned an 0-0 offering, turned on the off-speed pitch, and parked a towering 1-0 blast that sailed well beyond the 330-feet mark in right field.
It was the first pitch the well-built 5-foot-11 Class of 2019 prospect saw this past Saturday, as SCS clawed its way out of a 6-2 deficit to stamp a 9-6 win over Garrett Junior College in McHenry, Md.
Fitting, as the memorable first pitch fed to Hernandez is an embodiment of the scaleable first impression the Santo Domingo native has turned in for a first year program.
Given a short window to build up a spanking new program, Head Coach Todd Weldon and SCS staff have scoured the country and the world for both proven and evolving, fringe-type talent.
While several draft caliber prospects headline the program, a crop of unheralded and unknown guys have surfaced.
Many will bolster their stock with a year round commitment to player development and the day to day commitment to developing a college ready body.
The whole notion of hopping on a flight to the United States, receiving an arduous crash course in the English language and rapidly applying it to NCAA certified classes could be overwhelming and pressure-spiked for anyone.
It’s fair to say this is a challenge not suited for everyone-albeit it’s a challenge for Hernandez.
Weldon said the outfielder’s insatiable thirst for the workload and knack for the unrequired work are among the bedrock attributes catapulting him to a low-risk prospect.
“I would say he ranks up there as one of the hardest working guys throughout the program,” said Weldon, who spent time in the New York Mets organization and coached previously at the collegiate level.
“Coming from where he comes from, Ruben is aware of the opportunity to take advantage of here. Not one day has passed where he hasn’t been consistently working in the classroom, in the weight room, and on the field. He’s appreciative. Beyond having a high baseball IQ and high instincts, he’s a high character player–it is easy to tell how much all of this means to him.”
A top of the lineup hitter, the left-handed Hernandez has possessed an innate awareness of the strike zone early.
His gap to gap line drive ability and emergent pop have been noteworthy. With poise, an ability to track the ball and his arm, Hernandez has cemented his role in right field.
Weldon explained, through laughs, he encountered a brief language barrier difficulty when he scooped Hernandez up from BWI airport in Baltimore back in late August.
Since then, however, there are notable differences in Hernandez’ fluid conversation and thorough sentences.
He’s transitioned to the academic component with the same mindset he does his conditioning and skill work. There are no lackluster days, no opportunities to get complacent.
The time management aspect of it all had special resonance with Hernandez, who is cognizant of what’s at stake following his lone year in Pennsylvania.
The gung-ho mentality and desire to win every drill has ratcheted up the in-house competition while subsequently giving Hernandez a locker room presence others tend to feed off.
Regarded as a Division-1 AA talent, Hernandez is one of multiple high ceiling guys who could potentially weigh his professional stock this spring.
“Everything he does, he’s full throttle,” Weldon said.
“He’s the type of guy who holds himself to that high standard on his own.”
