The Three-Time Atlantic League Champion Somerset Patriots have announced that catcher Michel Hernandez has been signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization.
Hernandez was among the Atlantic League leaders in hitting with a .342 batting average. He had 11 runs scored, 26 hits, six doubles, three home runs, and 16 RBI in 25 games played for Somerset this season.
Hernandez is the fourth Patriots player to sign with a Major League organization this season, joining outfielder Noah Hall (New York Yankees), pitcher Jason Anderson (Philadelphia Phillies), and pitcher Chris Rojas (Philadelphia Phillies).
Hernandez will report to the Devil Rays Triple-A affiliate in Durham.
Hernandez has Major League experience with the Yankees during the 2003 season, where he played in five games.
Hernandez also has five seasons of Triple-A experience with the Yankees, Phillies, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations.
He spent the 2006 season at Triple-A for the Cardinals and hit .274 with 24 runs, 78 hits, 10 doubles, a triple, two home runs, and 28 RBI in 90 games played.
As 5th string catchers go, he doesn't sound too bad. I was looking at the Durham Bulls roster recently, and after the call up sof Riggans (subsequently injured) and Casanova (currently Tampa's everyday catcher), the only one they have there is a guy called Josh Johnson, who was a .212 hitter at single A, and who has only advanced, it seems, as an emergency injury replacement.
Says a lot about the lack of catching depth in the organisation. As does Dioner Navarro's batting average.
