The Yankees are making a low-risk, high-upside move by claiming outfielder Yanquiel Fernández off waivers from the Rockies, according to reports. While the team hasn’t officially announced the transaction just yet, once it’s finalized, they’ll need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to make room for the 23-year-old.
Fernández is a name that once carried serious buzz in prospect circles. Originally signed out of Cuba, he climbed the Rockies’ system with authority, slugging 25 home runs across three minor league levels in 2023 and finishing the year in Double-A.
That performance was enough to earn him a spot on Colorado’s 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, and he entered 2024 as the organization’s No. 3 prospect, per Baseball America - even cracking the Top 100 nationally at No. 92.
But things haven’t gone according to script since then.
Fernández got a taste of the majors, logging 147 plate appearances, but struggled to make consistent contact. His .225/.265/.348 slash line, paired with a 29.9% strikeout rate, painted the picture of a young hitter still adjusting to big-league pitching. In Triple-A, his .259/.320/.437 line looks serviceable on the surface, but when adjusted for the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League environment, it equates to a 77 wRC+ - well below league average.
That’s a problem for a player like Fernández, whose profile leans heavily on offensive production. He’s a corner outfielder with a strong arm, but he’s not known for his speed or defensive prowess.
He’s not going to swipe bags or cover a ton of ground. If he’s going to stick, it’s going to be with his bat.
The Rockies, now under new leadership after parting ways with longtime GM Bill Schmidt and bringing in Paul DePodesta to head baseball operations, clearly weren’t sold on Fernández’s trajectory. Despite having a minor league option left - which would’ve allowed them to stash him in Triple-A - they removed him from the roster in favor of some buy-low veterans like Jake McCarthy and Edouard Julien.
Now, it’s the Yankees’ turn to see if there’s still something to unlock.
New York’s outfield picture is already crowded. Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, and Cody Bellinger project to handle the bulk of the outfield reps, with Giancarlo Stanton penciled in as the designated hitter.
Behind them, top prospects Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones are waiting in the wings, and the Yankees have also been exploring right-handed platoon options like Randal Grichuk and Austin Slater. Even non-roster players like Marco Luciano and Seth Brown are in the mix as depth.
So where does that leave Fernández? Right now, he’s clearly on the outside looking in.
He’s likely ticketed for regular at-bats in Triple-A, assuming the Yankees don’t try to sneak him through waivers again at some point. But in a long season - and especially in a system that’s always looking to find value at the margins - there’s room for a player like Fernández to force his way into the conversation.
He’s still young, still has raw power, and still carries the kind of upside that once made him one of the more intriguing international signings in the game. The Yankees are betting that a change of scenery and a player development system known for getting the most out of its hitters might be just what Fernández needs to get back on track.
For now, it’s a depth move. But it’s one worth watching.