Among Cuban prospects, right-hander Pablo Millan Fernandez has not drawn as much buzz as some of his fellow countrymen. The Dodgers apparently aren’t concerned about that, as they reached a minor league agreement with the 25-year-old pitcher on Monday worth $8 million. The deal was first reported by Baseball America‘s Ben Badler.
However, Fernandez won’t be joining the Dodgers just yet. According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, there are still a few details to be ironed out.
Pablo Fernandez deal with Dodgers is pending physical. Could happen sometime this week. Still needs visa to travel to the United States.
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) March 23, 2015
Sanchez reported in a previous tweet that the Red Sox, Giants, Padres and Rangers also showed interest in Fernandez. At 25 years old and with five years’ professional experience in Cuba, signing him won’t count against the Dodgers’ international bonus pool. But why haven’t we heard much about this pitcher and why wasn’t there more of a bidding war for his services? As Badler explains, Fernandez isn’t a fireballer.
In Cuba, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Fernandez was known more for his touch and feel than his pure stuff, with a fastball that ranged from 86-88 mph at this time last year in Cuba. However, more recently Fernandez has increased his fastball into the low-90s, unusual for a pitcher in his mid-20s, with a curveball, slider and changeup in his arsenal as well. Like many Cuban pitchers, Fernandez intentionally threw from several different arm slots, though since arriving in the Dominican Republic to train he has worked to repeat his release point.
Last season with Holguin of Serie Nacional, Fernandez compiled a 2.83 ERA with 36 strikeouts (versus 19 walks) in 57.1 innings. He pitched as a reliever in Cuba, though the Dodgers are expected to develop him into a starter. With his age and experience, he’s also expected to be assigned to one of the organization’s higher-level affiliates.
