Seth Hernandez just introduced himself to Pirates fans in jaw dropping fashion

The Pittsburgh Pirates feel as if they got the steal of the 2025 draft when they selected the third-ranked prospect in the draft class, Seth Hernandez, at No. 6 overall. In the grand scheme of things, the top prep arm in the class didn't fall very far, but it didn't make Pittsburgh any less giddy to land him.

Since Hernandez was drafted as a high schooler, his pro debut wasn't going to come until 2026. As the hype grew, fans' anticipation to get a look at the cherished teenage arm has reached a fever pitch. At long last, Hernandez took center stage in the Pirates' Spring Breakout matchup against the Detroit Tigers and announced his arrival in a big way.

The right-hander opened the game against Tigers center field prospect Max Clark, MLB Pipeline's No. 10-ranked farmhand, and announced his arrival by uncorking a 102.4 miles per hour fastball. Stunned, Clark said the pitch looked like a "beam of light."

Pirates top prospect Seth Hernandez sets the stage for a big pro debut with a 102 miles per hour heater

Triple-digit heat has become more commonplace over the years, but it's still rare in the world of starting pitchers — and almost unheard of for teenagers. Hernandez turns 20 on June 28 and was maxing out at 97-98 miles per hour in his senior year. That was already stunning for such a young pitcher, but being able to reach back for this kind of gas at this young of an age is truly wild stuff.

The top-graded fastball is wonderful, but it's far from the only tool Hernandez has in his bag of tricks. His best pitch might actually be his changeup, and if he's throwing with this kind of velocity, that pitch will play up even more. He's also got a couple of above-average breaking balls. That's set the scene for some to forecast a meteoric, Paul Skenes-like rise.

That seems like an impossible comparison for the youngster, and while it's in the realm of possibility, it shouldn't become the expectation. Even so, the scene has been set for Hernandez to knock everyone's socks off in 2026.

With Skenes plus youngsters like Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft in addition to other top prospects like Hunter Barco and Wilber Dotel, the Pirates' pitching pipeline looks incredibly strong. The game-changer, though, is Hernandez. He has a limitless ceiling and is just getting kick-started now. Sooner rather than later, all these young arms will come together, giving Pittsburgh the potential to have the best rotation in the league.

That's a discussion for another day. For now, we'll get to enjoy Hernandez's debut, and each start he makes should have fans more and more excited about what the future holds.