New Video, New Showcase Set For Cuba’s Jose Miguel Fernandez

Scouts have been eager to see Cuban second baseman Jose Miguel Fernandez since he fled the country a little more than four months ago. Fernandez, a free agent who turns 28 next week, ranked as the No. 3 player in Cuba, where he showed excellent plate discipline and bat control from the left side, projecting as an offensive-minded, high OBP second baseman who could help a major league team quickly.

Fernandez will have an opportunity to display his skills in front of what will likely be hundreds of scouts at his first open showcase on May 3 and 4 at the Reds’ facility in the Dominican Republic. Judging from the 12-minute video above, Fernandez appears to have lost a considerable amount of weight during his time in the Dominican Republic. In the 12-minute video, Fernandez looks to have lost a considerable amount of weight. When he was still in Cuba, Fernandez’s thickening lower half and declining range had been concerning, with scouts unsure of what to expect from Fernandez’s conditioning after he had been suspended from playing in Cuba since October 2014 for attempting to defect.

Fernandez had been the second baseman on the Cuban national team, including at the 2013 World Baseball Classic, and he had excelled as a hitter for Matanzas in Serie Nacional. During his final full season (2013-14) in Serie Nacional, Fernandez ranked second in the league in OBP, batting .326/.482/.456 in 314 plate appearances with 65 walks and 10 strikeouts. Fernandez wasn’t a threat in terms of speed or power, but he rarely swung and missed or expanded the strike zone, showing a short swing and enticing on-base skills that made him one of Cuba’s top players.

On talent alone, Fernandez should be able to step immediately into a major league lineup. His absence from competitive baseball for the last 18 months has to be a concern for any team that would like to play him right away, so there might have to me some time to get him acclimated to competitive game speed, but he should be able to help a major league club this season soon after signing. He’s exempt from the international bonus pools, so he can sign a major league contract with any club with no restrictions.