Guardians Bullpen Prospect Fares Well In 2024 AFL Fall Stars Game

Cleveland relief pitcher prospect Allan Hernández was the Guardians' lone representative in the 2024 Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game on Saturday night.

A ball cap sports the Cleveland Guardians logo in the third inning of the MLB Inter-league game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. / Sam Greene / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

While the Cleveland Guardians are currently in their offseason, a handful of prospects are still in action for the 2024 Arizona Fall League's Surprise Saguaros.

And one of these prospects earned Fall Star honors, taking part in the 2024 AFL Fall Stars Game on Saturday night.

Right-handed relief pitcher prospect Allan Hernández earned a hold in the American League's 6-5 victory, pitching a perfect inning of relief. The 23-year-old worked the game's only 1-2-3 frame, inducing three contact outs in just 10 pitches (six strikes).

The right-hander has made six appearances out of the Surprise bullpen so far this fall, going 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA and converting his lone save opportunity. He has also thrown nine strikeouts and held opponents to a .229 batting average in 9.1 innings of work.

Hernández was a 12th-round pick by Cleveland in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Miami Christian High School. After being limited to just 30 relief appearances across his first three Minor League seasons due to injuries in both 2021 and 2022, the right-hander pitched his first full professional campaign in 2024 with the High-A Lake County Captains.

A ball cap sports the Cleveland Guardians logo in the third inning of the MLB Inter-league game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. / Sam Greene / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

And Hernández had a productive season, as he was part of a Lake County bullpen that allowed the fewest hits and runs in all of High-A.

He made 37 relief appearances, going 1-3 with a 2.83 ERA, six saves, two holds, 51 strikeouts, and 30 walks in 47.2 innings of work. Additionally, Hernández's .183 opposing batting average ranked ninth among Midwest League pitchers with at least 45 innings pitched.

He finally concluded his 2024 Captains campaign with a save in Game 2 of the 2024 Midwest League East Division Championship Series. This secured Lake County's spot in the Midwest League Championship Series, which the team eventually won.