Georgia Tech’s Alex Hernandez leads Yellow Jackets to Oxford Regional

“At the time when I was talking to Tech, I was a sophomore in high school. It was really early on. I wasn’t nearly as good as I am now. (He said) ‘If you go to Tech you might not play the first year, and you’ll be lucky to get on the field second year, and you’ll have to work really, really hard.’ I was like, ‘I’m willing to take that bet. I think I’ll be just fine at Tech.’”

Hernandez was spot-on, a point he likes to jokingly remind his father about often.

The 6-foot-2, 188-pound Hernandez has been a catalyst in the heart of Tech’s powerful lineup. He enters Friday’s game against Western Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament in Oxford, Mississippi, (4 p.m. EDT, ESPN+), hitting .330 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs.

Hernandez needs eight RBIs to break Matt Wieters’ freshman record for RBIs (68) in a single Tech season, set in 2005.

“He’s very confident, in a good way,” Tech coach Danny Hall said. “Most great players that I’ve had, they have that inner confidence, and he’s definitely got it. But he’s also just a really good baseball player, and he’s a great competitor. Like most great hitters I’ve ever had, he wants to get a hit and thinks he should get a hit every time he steps in that box. If he doesn’t, he’s not happy about it. He’s a good player, he’s a hard worker and, man, he’s had a great year for us.”

Hernandez had his sights set on being a Yellow Jacket before Tech had its sights set on him.

Kyle Henley is one of Hernandez’s best friends and had planned to play for Tech after graduating from Forsyth County’s Denmark High School in 2023. Hernandez decided it would be his mission to play with his pal at Russ Chandler Stadium after he himself finished his career at Forsyth Central in Cumming.

Instead, Henley decided to turn pro after the Cincinnati Reds selected him the 14th round of the 2023 MLB draft. Hernandez, originally recruited to Tech by former pitching coach Danny Borrell, decided to stick with his plan to join the Jackets with or without Henley.

Hernandez also considered jumping straight into pro ball, but Hall and his staff sold him on the idea of his potential impact on the 2025 roster.

“I had a sit-down lunch with the Tech coaches, and they kind of talked me through everything and let me know I’d be one of their main guys this year,” Hernandez said. “Of course, they would say that because they want me to show up regardless, but they were completely true to that statement, and I’ve played every single game but one, and that’s because I got injured for that one game.”

Hernandez reached base safely in his first 17 games for the Yellow Jackets. His first career home run was a grand slam against Marshall on Feb. 21. He has played second base, right field, first base, left field and been Tech’s designated hitter.

Then there is the matter of pitching.

Hernandez was a dominant starting pitcher in high school and had every intention of helping Tech from the mound this season. But injuries to a few of Tech’s regular position players meant Hernandez had to be kept in the batting order more than in the rotation or out of the bullpen.

The right-hander has made six appearances on the mound, giving up five earned runs over 7⅓ innings and striking out three. He has recorded two saves, and in his only start, March 18 against Gardner-Webb, he allowed two earned runs on one hit over three innings.

He said pitching coach Matt Taylor and director of pitching Jason Richman have continued to work with Hernandez’s pitching even though he hasn’t made an appearance since May 7.

At the plate is where Hernandez is needed anyway, especially if the Jackets are to escape the Oxford Regional this weekend. He said even with the heightened pressure of advancing in the NCAA Tournament, his approach will remain the same — trying to lift Tech to its first regional title since 2006.

“Coach (James) Ramsey does a great job for us in getting us what we want to accomplish for each pitcher, what we should do for each pitch that he has,” Hernandez added. “For me, I’ve always thought, ‘Hit it to where it’s pitched,’ and try to go double in the gap. Just try to keep it simple.”