DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Jonathan Hernandez has been named the new head coach for the Bethune-Cookman University baseball program, announced Tuesday afternoon by Bethune-Cookman Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lynn W. Thompson.
“We are delighted to have Jonathan Hernandez join us as the new head coach for our Wildcats Baseball program,” said Lynn W. Thompson. “After a thorough national search, it was clear that Jonathan was a rising talent that we couldn’t allow to pass us by.”
Hernandez joins Bethune-Cookman after spending the previous four years at ASA College in Miami. He served as the school’s first head coach after being named to the post in May 2014. He was responsible for all of ASA’s program aspects, including being the recruiting coordinator, coordinating travel and budgets, scheduling and equipment maintenance and ordering. All of this while still serving as the head coach. In his time with ASA, his teams excelled on the field and in the classroom, with the team maintaining a 3.21 Grade Point Average (GPA) across five years.
“I am extremely excited about being head coach for such a prestigious baseball program like Bethune-Cookman University,” said Hernandez. “I just want to thank Interim President Hubert Grimes, Mr. Lynn Thompson and everyone at the university for trusting in me to lead this team and program.
“There are some pretty big shoes to fill after this team is just a year away from being in an NCAA Regional final against the eventual national champions. So many great head coaches have come before me and worn these colors and served this institution. Again, I am happy, but I know there’s a lot of hard work to do, and some huge shoes to fill.”
Aside from serving as head coach at ASA, Hernandez has been a scouting task force member for USA Baseball since 2012, which is based out of Cary, North Carolina. He has assisted in the USA selection of players, as well as coordinating throwing programs, working with fielders in practices, games and in one-on-one sessions, respectively.
Throughout his time at ASA in Miami, Hernandez has received several accolades that assisted him in his growth. In 2016, Hernandez helped ASA to a Division 2 Region 8 Conference runner-up finish. That same season, he coached four student-athletes in being named All-Region 8 District Team members.
Just a season later in 2017, ASA was crowned Division 2 Region 8 conference champions, while seven players were named to the All-Region 8 District Team.
ASA achieved 20-plus wins in each of the last three seasons…all without a home field. The team played all games on the road, each season.
Prior to the appointment at ASA, he was the head coach for six years at Hialeah High School in his hometown of Miami from 2008-14. It is at Hialeah High that he coached numerous players that went on to several university across the nation, including former BCU pitcher Alexis Herrera (2005-18).
During his stint with the Thoroughbreds, his 2011 team reached the State Final Four, and in 2013 he was named the Miami Dade H.S. Class 8-A District 13 Coach of the Year. He has had a number of his former players go on to play college and professional baseball including Rangel Ravelo and Nestor Cortes. Both were drafted out of Hialeah High by the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees, respectively. Additionally, during his time at Hialeah High, Hernandez served as the USA 14U National Team Development Program Pitching Coach in the summer of 2015.
“When we looked for a baseball coach, we went out and looked for the BEST,” expressed Thompson. “We received many applications from some big names around the country. We really took our time and performed a thorough search for the next head coach of Bethune-Cookman Baseball.
“We want to get back to a Regional final, and ultimately, win a Regional championship. And we feel Jonathan Hernandez is the guy that will help us achieve that goal.”
Jonathan Hernandez is married to Olly, and together, the couple has a son and a daughter.
His duties as head coach are set to begin immediately.
