Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

After Fernandez raced through the lower levels of the Rockies' system, hitting 21 homers and driving in 109 with Single-A Fresno after skipping over the Arizona Complex League in 2022, banging out 25 more homers and reaching Double-A at age 20 in 2023, it looked like the $295,000 they signed him for in July 2019 might be a huge bargain. Some issues with his approach started to get exposed when he got to Double-A for the first time and while he handled the bat OK back with Hartford last year, the power didn’t show up as much; he scuffled upon reaching Triple-A for the first time.

The biggest things Fernandez needs to do to find success at the upper levels are mostly approach-related, though being able to slow the game down and trust himself in the box also come into play. He’s never going to be confused with a patient hitter, but he’s going to need to cut down on swinging at balls out of the zone -- especially breaking stuff -- after registering a 40 percent chase rate in 2024. He also needs to understand that his power is going to show up naturally and not let a moment get so big that he’s selling out for that pop. When he’s balanced in the box, his barrel plays out front and he easily gets to his extra-base authority.

The bat is going to have to play because Fernandez is limited to a corner outfield spot only. His power potential and plus arm could profile just fine in right, even as a below-average runner, and at age 22, there’s time for him to make enough swing decision improvements to be an every day threat in the big league lineup.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

The 2019-20 international signing period may turn out to have been a very productive one for the Rockies. Top prospect Adael Amador topped the class with his $1.5 million bonus while Fernandez joined the organization for $295,000 and both reached the upper levels in 2023. After a strong finish in his 2022 full-season debut that saw him finish with an OPS of .847 with 109 RBIs, the Cuban outfielder posted a .959 OPS with High-A Spokane to earn a bump up to Double-A Hartford, where the league adjusted to him much faster than he adjusted to the pitching in the league.

There are still plenty of reasons to be bullish about Fernandez, starting with his easily plus raw power from the left side of the plate. Even with his struggles in Double-A, the Futures Gamer hit 25 homers in 2023, and he has the ability to drive the ball to all fields with ease. The jump in his strikeout rate to nearly 33 percent with Hartford is a cause for concern, as his miss and chase rates -- especially against breaking stuff -- skyrocketed. He’s always going to be a very aggressive hitter, but there’s confidence the 21-year-old will make adjustments because he did just that when initially fed a steady diet of soft stuff during his full-season debut in 2022.

A below-average runner, Fernandez has a plus arm that fits the right field profile well, though he’ll be an average defender at best. His run-production potential fits that profile, too, if he can refine his approach again and make better swing decisions while recognizing spin. If all goes his way, he has the chance to be a true middle-of-the-order threat in Colorado.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

Fernandez signed with the Rockies for $295,000 out of Cuba in July 2019 and made a very strong first impression in the Dominican Summer League in 2021 with a .937 OPS over 54 games. He started out a little slowly in his full-season debut a year later, but he figured things out and was one of the best hitters in the California League in the second half of the year, finishing as the league leader in RBIs (109), tied for third in homers (21) and fifth in slugging percentage (.507).

In the early stages of his 2022 season, Fernandez was getting a steady diet of breaking stuff and scuffled as a result, with just a .741 OPS over the season’s first two months as he was swinging at everything. The left-handed hitter then started to adjust and things began to click, with Fernandez posting an OPS over .900 from June 1 on, a stretch of 80 games that included 18 homers and 89 RBIs. He has dangerous raw power he’s just learning to tap into and can leave the yard to all fields, showing he’s the kind of hitter who loves RBI situations.

Fernandez fits the corner outfield profile very well, both because of his run-production potential and an easily plus arm that looks good in right field. He’s gotten some Yordan Alvarez comps, and if the adjustments he showed in his approach last year are for real, he could come close to living up to them.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

The 2019-20 international signing class could very well be a successful one for the Rockies. It started with Adael Amador getting $1.5 million, and he’s one of the Rockies' better prospects. Catching up in a hurry might be Fernandez, who signed out of Cuba that summer for $295,000. Finally getting to play in 2021, the outfielder made the Dominican Summer League look easy, finishing in the top 10 in a host of offensive categories, from average and RBIs to slugging percentage and OPS.

Fernandez has the chance to hit for both average and power from the left side of the plate. Both in the DSL and at instructs last fall, Fernandez showed a knack for barreling up the baseball with hard contact. It’s a small sample, but he’s shown he can turn around premium velocity with plus bat speed while displaying strong strike zone knowledge. He’ll take a walk, work counts and doesn’t strike out much, all while having raw power to all fields.

Strong and physical, Fernandez will hit his way up the ladder. He has a strong arm, but he will be limited to an outfield corner, playing right field almost exclusively during his debut. He reminds some of the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez in terms of his offensive profile as he makes his United States debut this season at age 19.

Awards

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023
2022

Baseball America High Class A All-Star

Year	Team
2023

NWL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Futures Game Selection

Year	Team
2023

NWL Player of the Week

Week	Team
06/11/2023
05/14/2023

NWL Player of the Month

Month	Team
05/2023

CAL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2022

CAL Player of the Week

Week	Team
08/14/2022
06/12/2022

DSL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2021

DSL Player of the Month

Month	Team
07/2021

DSL Player of the Week

Week	Team
07/25/2021

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Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/11/2025	Colorado Rockies optioned RF Yanquiel Fernandez to Albuquerque Isotopes.
	03/11/2025	Albuquerque Isotopes activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	12/07/2024	Equipo Importados activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	12/07/2024	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to Equipo Importados.
	11/07/2024	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to Leones de Ponce.
	10/01/2024	Colorado Rockies recalled RF Yanquiel Fernandez from Albuquerque Isotopes.
	08/06/2024	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to Albuquerque Isotopes from Hartford Yard Goats.
	08/06/2024	Albuquerque Isotopes activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	04/24/2024	Hartford Yard Goats activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez from the temporarily inactive list.
	04/21/2024	Hartford Yard Goats placed RF Yanquiel Fernandez on the temporarily inactive list.
	03/08/2024	Colorado Rockies optioned RF Yanquiel Fernandez to Hartford Yard Goats.
	03/08/2024	Hartford Yard Goats activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	03/07/2024	Colorado Rockies Prospects activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	11/14/2023	Colorado Rockies selected the contract of RF Yanquiel Fernandez from Hartford Yard Goats.
	11/03/2023	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to Leones de Ponce.
	08/05/2023	Hartford Yard Goats activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez from the 7-day injured list.
	07/26/2023	Hartford Yard Goats placed RF Yanquiel Fernandez on the 7-day injured list.
	07/07/2023	National League Futures activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	06/20/2023	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to Hartford Yard Goats from Spokane Indians.
	04/11/2023	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to Spokane Indians from Fresno Grizzlies.
	04/11/2023	Spokane Indians activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	03/06/2023	RF Yanquiel Fernandez and assigned to Colorado Rockies.
	04/05/2022	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to Fresno Grizzlies from DSL Rockies.
	04/05/2022	Fresno Grizzlies activated RF Yanquiel Fernandez.
	07/09/2021	RF Yanquiel Fernandez assigned to DSL Rockies.
	07/12/2019	Colorado Rockies signed free agent OF Yanquiel Fernandez to a minor league contract.