The cousin of Yankees pitching prospect Luis Serna, Jared signed with New York for $10,000 out of Mexico in 2019 but didn't make his pro debut until two years later because of the pandemic. He made the Single-A Florida State League postseason All-Star team after batting .283/.350/.483 with 19 homers in 95 games there in 2023, though he didn't go deep in 27 contests following a promotion to High-A. He rediscovered his pop at that level this year before the Yankees included him in a three-prospect package to acquire Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Marlins in July.
Serna has a naturally compact right-handed stroke and makes good swing decisions, allowing him to make repeated contact. He looks to pull the ball and hits the ball harder than expected for a 5-foot-7, 168-pounder, creating surprisingly solid raw power. He can get too pull-conscious and will put pitches in play that he'd be better off avoiding, leading to some suboptimal groundball contact.
Though he's slow out of the batter's box, Serna can flash plus speed once he gets going and is aggressive on the bases. With average range and arm strength, he's best suited for second base, but has seen more action at shortstop in 2024. He made 11 errors in 52 games at short last year, compared to just one in 60 contests at second, and also has played third base and both outfield corners in the past.
After signing for $10,000 out of Mexico in 2019, Serna had to wait two years to make his pro debut because of the pandemic. The cousin of Yankees pitching prospect Luis Serna, he displayed advanced plate discipline in his first two years in the Minors. He got off to a quick start at Single-A in 2023 after scuffling in a two-week stint there last summer.
Serna controls the strike zone and makes quality swing decisions as well as any of New York's lower-level hitters. He makes repeated contact with a compact right-handed swing and hits the ball harder than expected for a player listed at 5-foot-6 and 168 pounds. He's pull-conscious and his tendency to put the ball on the ground restricts his power, so he does have adjustments to make.
Serna is an aggressive baserunner with average speed. He also has similar range and arm strength, leaving him best suited for second base. He also has seen action at shortstop, third base and both outfield corners and could wind up in a utility role.
