The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with right-handed pitcher Julian Fernández, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
Fernández is expected to be at major league spring training as a non-roster invite.
Fernández is working to make his way back to the majors for the first time since 2021. That year, he made six appearances for the Colorado Rockies, giving up eight runs in 6.2 innings. It’s still his only big-league experience.
After being outrighted off the 40-man roster in June 2022, he spent time in Triple-A with the Blue Jays the following season.
During his short time in the majors, Fernández showed off impressive velocity, averaging 99 MPH with his four-seam fastball. However, that hasn’t fully translated to missed bats in the minors. Over parts of four Triple-A seasons, he has a strikeout rate of about 24 percent but has also walked nearly 11 percent of hitters. In 80.1 innings at the Triple-A level, he holds a 6.05 ERA.
In 2024, Fernández played in both the Mexican League and the Dominican Winter League. With El Aguila de Veracruz in the Mexican League, he posted a strong 1.82 ERA over 34.2 innings in 34 appearances. His performance caught the attention of the Dodgers, who offered him a minor-league contract.
Fernández is now joining the Dodgers, where they’ll aim to tap into his potential. Minor league deals present minimal risk, and the Dodgers will work with him to try to revive his career. If things don’t work out, they can release him, allowing him to explore other opportunities in free agency.
