Elier Hernández

Hernández signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent on July 20, 2011.[1] He made his professional debut appearing in 60 games with the rookie-level Idaho Falls Chukars in 2012. He returned to the Chukars in 2013, slashing .301/.350/.439 with 3 home runs and 44 RBI in 66 games. In 2014, Hernández spent the season with the Single-A Lexington Legends, appearing in 111 games and hitting .264/.296/.393 with 9 home runs and 24 RBI.

In 2015, Hernández split the season between Lexington and the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, posting a cumulative .268/.312/.379 slash with 6 home runs, 54 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 124 contests. He played in 134 games for Wilmington the following year, batting .226/.281/.310 with 2 home runs and 43 RBI. For the 2017 season, he played in 46 games split between Wilmington and the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, hitting .317/.355/.489 with 5 home runs and 37 RBI between the two affiliates.

In 2018, Hernández played in 131 games split between Northwest Arkansas and the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, hitting a cumulative .285/.330/.374 with 3 home runs, 65 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. The following season, he spent the year with Omaha, playing in 112 games and hitting .245/.296/.364 with 10 home runs, and 36 RBI and 8 stolen bases. He elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2019. Hernández did not sign with a team and did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

On December 28, 2020, Hernández signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers organization.[3] He spent the 2021 season with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and the Triple-A Round Rock Express, posting a cumulative .231/.292/.394 slash with career-highs in home runs (16) and RBI (62) across 108 games. He was assigned to Round Rock to begin the 2022 season.

Hernández was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the majors for the first time on July 14, 2022.[4] He collected his first career hit the same day, lacing a single off of Seattle Mariners starter Marco Gonzales.[5] He appeared in 14 games for the big league club, going 6-for-33 with 3 RBI. On August 16, 2022, Hernández was designated for assignment by the Rangers.[6] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Round Rock on August 22.[7] He elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022. He re-signed a minor league contract on January 6, 2023.