Jose Miguel Fernandez Stats & Scouting Report

AB	915
AVG	.301
OBP	.37
SLG	.462
HR	36

Full name José Miguel Fernández
Born 04/27/1988 in Villa Clara, Cuba
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R
Debut 06/08/2018

Scouting Reports

Fernandez was a standout on Cuba's 2013 World Baseball Classic team and had established himself as one of the premier hitters in the country entering the prime of his career. The next season (2013-14), Fernandez ranked second in Serie Nacional in on-base percentage (.482) and struck out just 10 times in 314 plate appearances. In October 2014, Fernandez was suspended from playing in Cuba for reportedly attempting to leave the country illegally. He was finally able to leave Cuba around late November 2015, so while Fernandez has the talent to step into a major league lineup immediately, the year-long layoff means there might be some rust to shake off. Fernandez has outstanding plate discipline, rarely offering at a pitch outside the strike zone. When he does swing, he has a short, flat lefty stroke with good bat control. There's some funkiness to his swing, because his back foot often slides out from under him and messes with his balance, but he can hit good velocity. He keeps his hands back well to adjust to breaking pitches and has the hand-eye coordination and plate coverage to make it work. Fernandez's power is below-average, with a chance for 8-12 home runs, so his offensive profile is more slanted toward OBP than power. Defense doesn't come as naturally to Fernandez, whose lower half has thickened and doesn't have much speed. He's an adequate defender at second base and can make the routine plays, but his range is limited. He has experience at third base, though his fringy arm is better suited for second. Exempt from the international bonus pools, Fernandez could sign this summer and step into the top of a major league lineup as a high OBP threat.