
The Los Angeles Dodgers have officially signed right-handed reliever Julian Fernández to a minor league contract, marking an important step in his career as reported by Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic. As part of this agreement, Fernández will receive an invitation to participate in MLB Spring Training, providing him a valuable opportunity to showcase his skills and potentially secure a position on the major league roster.
Fernández is determined to make a comeback to the major leagues for the first time since 2021 when he had a brief stint with the Colorado Rockies. During that season, he appeared in six games, where he struggled, giving up eight runs over 6 2/3 innings pitched. This experience remains his only exposure to big league action, as he was subsequently removed from the 40-man roster in June 2022. Following his time with the Rockies, he played in Triple-A with the Toronto Blue Jays in the following year, continuing to develop his skills.
In 2024, the Dominican Republic native found himself outside of affiliated baseball, opting to play in Mexico instead. He had a remarkable season with the Veracruz team, posting an impressive 1.82 earned run average over 34 2/3 innings. His ability to strike out 32.1% of opposing hitters demonstrates his effectiveness on the mound. Although he faced some challenges in the Dominican Winter League, allowing eight runs across 11 2/3 innings, the evaluations from the Dodgers’ coaching staff suggest that they see potential in his pitching abilities.
Throughout his brief major league career, Fernández has shown flashes of extraordinary velocity. He averaged an impressive 99 MPH with his four-seam fastball, which is a significant asset for any pitcher. However, this velocity hasn’t consistently translated into strikeouts in affiliated competitions. Over his four Triple-A seasons, he has maintained an average strikeout rate of about 24% while struggling with control, walking nearly 11% of the batters he faced. His overall performance has resulted in a 6.05 ERA across 80 1/3 innings at that level, highlighting the areas he needs to improve upon.
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