Detroit Tigers prospect Wilkel Hernandez will be sidelined for the 2021 season.
The right-handed pitcher underwent Tommy John surgery in late October, the Tigers confirmed to the Free Press on Wednesday. If his rehabilitation goes as planned, the 21-year-old is expected return to in-game action in 2022.
Hernandez pitched in the team's instructional league this fall in Lakeland, Florida, as a member of the 49-man roster. But once ligament damage was discovered in his elbow, he was shut down.
The typical recovery time for Tommy John surgery is 14 to 16 months.