Pirates’ Top Draft Pick Bonding in Bradenton

Seth Hernandez is getting used to being in Bradenton. Back on July 26, Hernandez became professional property of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Officially, the Corona High School pitching standout in Riverside County, CA, signed with the club. With a reported signing bonus of $7.25 million, as the Pirates’ first-round draft pick last month and sixth overall, now, Hernandez could concentrate on learning how to be a pro.

As with most MLB draft selections, for those being welcomed into the Pittsburgh family, Pirate City in Bradenton is where one’s career starts. Coming from other parts of the country to Southwest Florida can take time for players to adjust to. Count on Hernandez to familiarize himself with all that is Manatee County.

“It’s been a whirlwind for me, for sure,” Hernandez told The Bradenton Times recently at Pirate City. “ For me now, it’s time to settle down and open the door to my career in baseball. I just have to work hard.”

One obvious adjustment Hernandez sees as a work in progress is getting used to the humidity in Bradenton. Where he comes from, Hernandez labels the climate as “super dry." Temperatures in Hernandez’s home region of Southern California and Manatee County, as he sizes up the two areas, are pretty much the same.

Getting acclimated to his surroundings in the Bradenton-Sarasota area is coming along for the six-foot-four right-handed pitcher. Although Hernandez, 19, doesn’t have a car (yet) parked at Pirate City, he is making friends quickly among the players working out and those assigned to the Florida Bridge League and Bradenton Marauders.

The majority of players reside at Pirate City. As the newest “die-hard” Pirates fan, Hernandez says he’s putting in the time to learn as much about the organization, past and present.

“When my brother played Little League ball, his team was the Yankees,” says Hernandez, who was selected the 2025 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year. “So, I grew up a Yankees fan. But now, I’m all Pirates.”

Home-schooled during his freshman and sophomore years of high school, Hernandez is quick to say that in his situation, he wasn’t having a parent teach him. His schooling was conducted online. At the same time, when courses were satisfied for the day, Hernandez was working out at a training facility. There would be no missing out on the social aspect of a teenager, such as one who was physically attending classes in a high school building.

So far, Hernandez is enjoying the local beaches and using Uber services to navigate all the offerings in Manatee County.

From now until spring training opens in February, with Hernandez learning his way around the Pirate City complex, this is a plus for when the 40-man roster players and non-roster invitees arrive. Hernandez is taking his newfound fame and work address in stride. His joining the Pirates is Hernandez’s first job. He promises to do it (play baseball) for the rest of his time.

“Right now, I’m enjoying my time around the guys. Spring training is coming sooner than later. So, until then, I don’t want to rush time,” explains Hernandez, who as a senior at Corona High School collected 105 strikeouts in 53.3 innings of work, and tallied an 0.39 ERA.

With most of Hernandez’s family a six-hour flight away from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, frequent calls to his brother and sister are how he is keeping in touch with those closest to him.

After signing his contract with the Pirates at PNC Park last month, getting to spend time with Pittsburgh’s pitching ace, Paul Skenes, on the field before jetting to Bradenton is a highlight Hernandez is eager to recall. Labeling his time with last season’s National League Rookie of the Year as “super cool”, Hernandez tells one of his goals is to pitch alongside Skenes.

Hernandez, along with Corona teammates Billy Carlson and Brady Ebel, were all first-round draft selections. This is the first time three No.1 draft picks came in the draft from the same high school. The Chicago White Sox picked Carlson, and the Milwaukee Brewers selected Ebel.

Signing with Pittsburgh meant that Hernandez changed his mind about attending Vanderbilt University. The idea, down the road of a Pirates’ starting rotation consisting of Skenes, Hernandez, Bubba Chandler, Hunter Barco, and Anthony Solometo, to Pirates’ fans, this would be as close to baseball nirvana as possible.

Before touring MLB cities and pitching on national telecasts, learning to navigate Bradenton and its surroundings is a priority for Hernandez. A tradition of beginning as a Bucco in the same facility where the greats - Clemente, Stargell, Parker, Blass, and others put on a Pirates’ uniform for the very first time, Hernandez is now welcomed into the club.