Yanquiel Fernandez

Yanquiel Fernandez

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 198 lbs.

• Born January 1, 2003 in Havana, Havana Cuba

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez was signed by the Colorado Rockies organization as a minor league free agent on July 12, 2019. His first taste of action didn't come until 2021, however, when the 18-year-old played for the DSL Rockies. In 54 games, he slashed .333/.406/.531. He walked 22 times against 26 strikeouts in 177 at bats, while clubbing 17 doubles and driving in 34 runs.

He moved up the ladder to the class A Fresno Grizzlies for the 2022 season. He slashed .284/.340/.507. He did not display nearly as much patience at the plate, drawing only 14 more walks than he had in the Dominican Summer League the year before in 321 more plate appearances. His strike out rate also went way up going from 14.69% to 24.0%, and his defensive numbers slipped. On the bright side, he still showed extra base punch, smacking 33 doubles and 21 home runs while driving in 109 runs.

He began 2023 back in Fresno, but was moved up to the class A+ Spokane Indians after three games. On May 10, he became the first Spokane Indian to hit for the cycle since Reggie Walton did so on June 29, 1979. He went 5 for 5 with two home runs in an 18-1 rout of the Hillsboro Hops. He was moved up again on June 20th to the Hartford Yard Goats of the AA Eastern League when Zac Veen - the Rockies' top-ranked prospect - was placed on the injured list with a wrist injury which required season-ending surgery. Fernandez was leading the Northwest League in home runs (17) and RBI (64) and was second in batting average (.319; teammate Zach Kokoska was leading the circuit at .335). In his first game with the Hartford Yard Goats that day, he hit an upper deck home run in Dunkin' Park. He was named as a member of the National League team at the 2023 Futures Game.