Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Seth Hernandez left Max Clark stunned with a 102.4 MPH first pitch during the Spring Breakout game on Friday against the Detroit Tigers prospects at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida.
Hernandez, the sixth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft and the Pirates’ No. 3 prospect, was making his first game appearance in front of a crowd since the draft.
Clark, the Tigers’ No. 2 prospect, reacted by stepping out of the box with wide eyes. He mouthed, “What the f–k,” grinned, and glared into the dugout, meeting eyes with his bewildered teammates.
“Amped up or not, it’s legit stuff,” Clark told MLB.com during an in-game interview. “I’ve been following Seth since high school. I’ve been waiting for it; I was excited that he’s getting the start.
“I knew he was gonna be fired up. And that first pitch at 102 did look a little bit like a beam of light, I’ll tell you that.”
Hernandez sent five of six pitches to Clark at 100 MPH or higher, while 11 of his 21 total pitches touched triple digits, and three more hit 99 MPH.
The performance has fans and scouts buzzing about Hernandez’s potential in the Pirates’ vaunted pitching development system, following standouts like Paul Skenes.
