Former Atlanta Braves minor leaguer and Frontier League standout, Ray Hernandez, took a singular step to remain within the sports activities world after his time in baseball got here to an finish.
Frontier League HR chief in 2021 with the New York Boulders
After posting a profession .320 common and setting information for batting common and homeruns at Alabama State, Hernandez was drafted by the Atlanta Braves within the twenty ninth spherical of the 2018 MLB June Newbie Draft. He spent simply two years taking part in rookie ball within the Braves system earlier than he was a casualty of the minor league pandemic releases.
Not wanting to go away baseball simply but, Hernandez spent three seasons within the Frontier League (Washington and New York) even main the league in homeruns (23) in 2021 whereas taking part in for the New York Boulders.
However, as luck would have it, a connection he made in baseball introduced him with an expert sports activities alternative that he simply couldn’t move up – turning into a fueler for a NASCAR pit crew.
Now, Hernandez spends his weekends pitting race vehicles for 3 groups within the three high collection in NASCAR.
Indy Ball Island not too long ago carried out a Q&A with Ray Hernandez to dive deeper into his distinctive path from skilled baseball to skilled auto racing.
After your two seasons within the Braves group, how did you find yourself in indy ball?
I had an agent on the time, and he had reference to Frontier League groups. He despatched my identify round, and the Wild Issues have been the primary workforce to supply me a contract after I used to be launched by Atlanta. I used to be desirous to signal and proceed my profession.
What was your expertise like taking part in indy ball? Any highlights that stand out? Favourite locations, video games or reminiscences?
I loved taking part in in Washington even although it wasn’t a full season. I used to be glad to be with a superb host household and to be round guys that have been like me who have been attempting to re-sign to affiliated ball.
Hernandez with teammate Hector Roa earlier than a recreation in Washington
My favourite workforce to play for was New York. I had a whole lot of success there, and I actually loved the arrange in Pomona. My favourite workforce to play towards was truly Washington due to how small the sector was. Plus it was turf, which I felt helped quite a bit as an infielder. I beloved the journeys to Canada. The followers up there have been so passionate, and people video games simply felt greater to me. I additionally favored Gateway as a result of the sector was tiny. For an influence hitter, it was a dream.
I’ve a whole lot of reminiscences from Indy Ball. A few of my greatest seasons have been in Indy Ball, and I felt like I used to be capable of be a free participant and play my recreation versus feeling like I needed to copy another person like in affiliated ball. My first season with New York in 2021, I led the league in homeruns and that’s nonetheless certainly one of my greatest accomplishments that I had in my profession. I miss baseball each single day.
How did you find yourself working in NASCAR?
Once I was launched by Atlanta, it was throughout COVID. I used to be launched with 35 different gamers in addition to entrance workplace private. A kind of entrance workplace guys began a recruiting company due to all of the contacts he made in baseball. He additionally had a reference to Joe Gibbs Racing, and he was the one who obtained me involved with Joe Gibbs. I’m grateful for it day-after-day.
Do you know a lot about what went right into a workforce and pit crew beforehand?
So I knew about NASCAR as a result of I’m from Orlando which may be very near Daytona. I watched a number of Daytona 500s rising up, and I performed a whole lot of the NASCAR video video games once I was youthful, so I knew concerning the groups and the way it labored, I simply didn’t know I may make a profession out of pitting race vehicles.
What does your week and race weekends seem like this season?
We now have Mondays off as a result of that’s the day after the races. Tuesday-Thursday, now we have a movie evaluate of the race from the week earlier than and a preview of what to anticipate for the next race. We even have observe pit stops and a carry on the facility with our energy coach evey day.
Friday we fly out and work the Craftsman truck race.
Saturday is the “Xfinity” race and Sunday is the “Cup” race.
You possibly can take into consideration these three races like: Truck – AA, Xfinity- AAA and Sunday as the main leagues if you wish to relate it to baseball. The drivers for these three races are all at completely different ranges of their careers, however we’re simply the professional crew, so we pit all three races. Then we fly again late after Sunday’s race to return house and do that each week from February by means of November. It’s a very lengthy season.
Clutch pit cease within the Xfinity collection
What points have you ever been capable of deliver from baseball into your work now?
I feel the primary factor that I deliver from baseball to racing is the “flip the web page” facet of baseball. You play so many video games in a season and have so many at-bats that you just don’t have time to harp on a foul recreation or at-bat too lengthy. Actually, you’ll be able to’t even benefit from the good video games or at-bats as a result of you may have one other one coming quickly after. Racing may be very comparable. If now we have a race the place now we have dangerous stops, we don’t have a whole lot of time to attempt to regulate earlier than the motive force is correct again within the stall needing us to lock in and ship even when now we have been dangerous all race.
What recommendation would you give an athlete who’s trying to make the soar into racing?
Truthfully, I used to be very fortunate to get this chance. I knew the fitting man on the proper time, and I used to be blessed to have a gap proper once I joined. Now I’m transferring up the ranks.
The perfect recommendation I may give is to maneuver to Charlotte, NC and attempt to get with a workforce, any workforce, and simply work and present them that you just’re prepared to do no matter it takes to be a member of the squad. Present you can be an asset. Lots of this stuff occur by simply being on the proper place on the proper time, and it’s important to attempt to set your self up for an opportunity someway.
The rest you need to add for our readers?
You recognize, I grew up in East Orlando, and there aren’t a whole lot of gamers who made it to the MLB from my space. My highschool and faculty weren’t one of the best so far as baseball goes, so part of me is happy with how far I made it in baseball. I wasn’t speculated to get drafted and even play D1 baseball. I simply made each state of affairs work in my favor. I struggled once I was with the Braves. They moved me round into positions that I had by no means performed earlier than, and I felt like they have been attempting to vary how I performed. I felt Iike it obtained me there, so why change me?
However I don’t remorse something in my profession. I used to be a fantastic energy hitter and had a really sturdy arm. I want to assume that I used to be a superb teammate, perhaps not 100% of the time, however not less than when it mattered most. I really like baseball. I performed it since I used to be 4 years outdated, and that’s the one sport I ever performed. My objective for so long as I may bear in mind was to make it to the MLB. I fell in need of that, however the classes that I’ve realized are ones that will move all the way down to my youngsters when I’ve them. I need to attempt to present them the right way to be a greater participant than I used to be.
NASCAR isn’t baseball, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be content material with how my profession ended, however not less than I’m fortunate sufficient to have one thing I may give 100% in. It’s truthfully the closest factor to baseball that I may very well be doing, and I’m grateful that I’ve this new profession with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Dwelling the dream with Joe Gibbs Racing on pit street
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