Ray Hernandez: From the Dugout to Pit Highway

Former Atlanta Braves minor leaguer and Frontier League standout, Ray Hernandez, took a novel step to remain within the sports activities world after his time in baseball got here to an finish.

After posting a profession .320 common and setting data 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 Novice 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 cross up – changing into a fueler for a NASCAR pit crew.

Now, Hernandez spends his weekends pitting race automobiles for 3 groups within the three prime 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 title round, and the Wild Issues have been the primary staff to supply me a contract after I used to be launched by Atlanta. I used to be desperate 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 recollections?  

I loved taking part in in Washington even although it wasn’t a full season. I used to be completely satisfied to be with an excellent host household and to be round guys that have been like me who have been making an attempt to re-sign to affiliated ball.

My favourite staff to play for was New York. I had a variety of success there, and I actually loved the arrange in Pomona. My favourite staff to play towards was truly Washington due to how small the sector was. Plus it was turf, which I felt helped loads as an infielder. I cherished 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 variety of recollections from Indy Ball. A few of my finest seasons have been in Indy Ball, and I felt like I used to be capable of be a free participant and play my sport 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 finest accomplishments that I had in my profession. I miss baseball each single day.

How did you find yourself working in NASCAR?

After 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 in touch with Joe Gibbs. I’m grateful for it day by day. 

Do you know a lot about what went right into a staff 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 just a few Daytona 500s rising up, and I performed a variety of the NASCAR video video games after I was youthful, so I knew in regards to the groups and the way it labored, I simply didn’t know I might make a profession out of pitting race automobiles.

What does your week and race weekends appear like this season?

We’ve Mondays off as a result of that’s the day after the races. Tuesday-Thursday, we’ve a movie overview 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’ll be able to take into consideration these three races like: Truck – AA, Xfinity- AAA and Sunday as the foremost 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 November. It’s a very lengthy season. 

What features have you ever been capable of carry from baseball into your work now? 

I believe the primary factor that I carry from baseball to racing is the “flip the web page” side of baseball. You play so many video games in a season and have so many at-bats that you simply don’t have time to harp on a foul sport 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’ve one other one coming quickly after. Racing may be very comparable. If we’ve a race the place we’ve dangerous stops, we don’t have a variety of time to attempt to alter earlier than the motive force is true again within the stall needing us to lock in and ship even when we’ve been dangerous all race.

What recommendation would you give an athlete who’s trying to make the leap into racing? 

Actually, I used to be very fortunate to get this chance. I knew the precise man on the proper time, and I used to be blessed to have a gap proper after I joined. Now I’m transferring up the ranks.

The most effective recommendation I might give is to maneuver to Charlotte, NC  and attempt to get with a staff, any staff, and simply work and present them that you simply’re prepared to do no matter it takes to be a member of the squad. Present you could be an asset. Numerous this stuff occur by simply being on the proper place on the proper time, and it’s a must to attempt to set your self up for an opportunity someway.

Anything you need to add for our readers?

You realize, I grew up in East Orlando, and there aren’t a variety of gamers who made it to the MLB from my space. My highschool and faculty weren’t the perfect so far as baseball goes, so part of me is pleased with how far I made it in baseball. I wasn’t alleged to get drafted and even play D1 baseball. I simply made each state of affairs work in my favor. I struggled after 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 making an attempt 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 an amazing energy hitter and had a really robust arm. I want to assume that I used to be an excellent teammate, possibly not 100% of the time, however at the least when it mattered most. I really like baseball. I performed it since I used to be 4 years previous, and that’s the one sport I ever performed. My objective for so long as I might keep 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 cross all the way down to my kids when I’ve them. I need to attempt to present them find out how 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 at the least I’m fortunate sufficient to have one thing I can provide 100% in. It’s actually the closest factor to baseball that I could possibly be doing, and I’m grateful that I’ve this new profession with Joe Gibbs Racing.