Baseball has a long and storied connection with Cuba, producing legends like Minnie Miñoso, Luis Tiant, and, more recently, sluggers like José Abreu and Yordan Alvarez. That pipeline may have delivered its next rising star to the Colorado Rockies in Yanquiel Fernández, who is now on the big-league roster.
His arrival is serendipitous with the Houston Astros, who happen to employ Alvarez, a player that many hope Fernández can compare to.
Comparing any minor leaguer to Alvarez is ambitious, bordering on reckless. The 2019 AL Rookie of the Year and 2021 ALCS MVP is a generational left-handed hitter with a .959 career OPS over 658 games. He’s a finely tuned machine, blending plus-plus raw power with elite plate discipline and a swing that seems built in a lab for damage. But when Fernández steps to the plate, the visual similarities—thick lower half, coiled stance, and a vicious, pull-heavy uppercut—are too striking to ignore.
So let’s break down where these two Cuban lefties align, and where their paths diverge.
Background
Alvarez defected in 2016 and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 million and was then flipped to Houston for Josh Fields before his professional career began. By contrast, Fernández signed with the Rockies in 2019 for a modest $295,000 bonus. Alvarez had the advantage of a more robust international profile, but Fernández made noise quickly to live up to the hype, slugging .531 in the Dominican Summer League as an 18-year-old in 2021.
Physically, both are imposing. Alvarez checks in at 6-feet 4-inches and 237 lbs—built more like a power forward than an outfielder. Fernández is listed at 6 feet 2-inches and 198 lbs, but plays even bigger. Much like Alvarez, Fernández uses brute strength and aggressive launch angles to generate jaw-dropping exit velocities.
Offensive capabilities
Here’s where the comparison gets spicy.
Both hit the ball hard. Exceptionally hard. Álvarez’s max exit velocities put him among the top 10% of MLB hitters annually. Fernández, meanwhile, routinely hits the ball hard when he can make contact, showcasing the violent and powerful swing.
But their approaches differ. Álvarez is remarkably disciplined—his walk rate hovers around 12% with a strikeout rate consistently under 20%. He doesn’t chase often, and when he does, he can still do damage.
Fernández, meanwhile, is still learning.
His walk rates have hovered around 6-7% during his minor league career and sit at 8.5% this season, a noted improvement from previous years. He remains a hyper-aggressive swinger with but the strikeout numbers haven’t been inflated because of it. His strikeout rate floated at 19.4% last season but his main weakness continues to be breaking balls low and away. While Alvarez can punish mistakes and still lay off tough pitches, Fernández often tries to muscle through sequencing, sometimes to his detriment.
That said, the raw tools are special. In 2023, Fernández mashed 25 homers across High-A and Double-A, and while 2024 saw some growing pains in Hartford, he adjusted late, improving his swing decisions and hitting lefties more consistently. The struggles returned after a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque that season, but he found his footing with the Isotopes this season. If that trend continues, it’s not unreasonable to think he could reach an Alvarez-lite ceiling—an everyday impact bat with 30+ homer upside.
Defense and role
Alvarez has never been known for his glove, and the Astros have increasingly used him as a DH to protect his knees and preserve his bat. Fernández isn’t a Gold Glover either, but he brings more functional athleticism. He has a cannon for an arm and adequate range in right field. At best, he could be a passable corner outfielder with enough agility to avoid being a DH-only type—an edge over Álvarez in terms of positional flexibility, at least early in his career.
However, the bat is going to be Fernández’s best tool moving forward over a prolonged MLB tenure. The Astros have a managed to use Alvarez sparingly in the outfield as he has never eclipsed 500 innings in the field during a season. A 60-40 split between DH and the outfield has been the ratio for Alvarez, and it’s seemed to work out pretty well for him. The Rockies could use Fernández a little more in the outfield as his routing has improved, but with more agile options to patrol the expanse of Coors Field at their disposal, Fernández can live as a part-timer.
The Rockies have no shortage of excellent and speedy defenders for the outfield, but the DH spot has been a bit of a black hole. Rather than sticking with the classic method of a primary DH, the Rockies use it as a revolving door to move players in and out and give them a day off their feet. That can be useful, but the problem is that none of the bats are particularly outstanding.
You’ll hear more about the DH spot later this month on Purple Row, but suffice it to say that the Rockies are slashing .212/.268/.328 with just five home runs.
The Coors Factor
It’s impossible to ignore what Coors Field does to hitters, particularly ones with pull-side power and aggressive tendencies. Alvarez doesn’t need a friendly park—Daikin Park’s short porch helps, but his numbers travel. Fernández, though, could benefit greatly from the spacious outfield and altitude-aided carry in Denver. If he can refine his plate discipline even marginally, he has a chance to post monster numbers at home and carve out a career akin to what Alvarez has done, at least from a production standpoint. That would be a huge win for the Rockies.
One can dream
Right now, Yanquiel Fernández is not Yordan Alvarez. He’s a notch below in pitch recognition, contact ability, and consistency. But the raw power, bat speed, and physical makeup are in the same neighborhood. He doesn’t need to be Alvarez to be a success story for the Rockies. Even if Fernández tops out as a .260 hitter with 30 home runs and modest OBP skills, that’s a middle-of-the-order bat they sorely need.
Alvarez is the blueprint. Fernández might be the blueprint’s Coors Field cousin—less refined, maybe, but every bit as exciting to dream on.
And if the dream becomes reality, the Rockies might finally have their own Cuban power legend to celebrate.
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On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 9, El Paso Chihuahuas 7
The Isotopes built on some early offense and managed to stave off a late-game comeback with a bit of late offense in their win. Carson Palmquist delivered 5 2⁄3 strong innings, striking out seven while giving up just two runs on seven hits. The Isotopes had 11 hits, with Zac Veen going 2-for-5 and Drew Romo going 3-for-4 with two doubles.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Postponed-Rain)
Jared Thomas and Charlie Condon were set to make their Double-A debuts, but rain postponed the game, so they will get their first looks today!
High-A: Tri-City Dust Devils 7, Spokane Indians 4
The bullpen couldn’t hold a narrow lead as the offense went quiet in the second half of the game, resulting in a Spokane defeat. Braxton Hyde tossed five innings, giving up three runs but left the game with a 4-3 lead. Unfortunately, Stu Flesland III was tagged for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to surrender the lead and take the loss. The Indians did have 10 hits, highlighted by Blake Wright’s two hits in his Spokane debut. Braylen Wimmer also had two hits, including his 11th home run of the season.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 4, Modesto Nuts 1
Robert Calaz delivered a pair of solo home runs for the Grizzlies as the pitching limited Modesto to just one run in their 4-1 victory. Everett Catlett surrendered an unearned run in the first inning, ending up going six strong innings with eight strikeouts. Alongside Calaz’s two hits, Kevin Fitzer had two hits and an RB,I with Jacob Hinderleider delivering an RBI single.
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Rockies, York Space Systems announce jersey patch partnership | MLB.com
The Rockies finally joined the jersey sponsor patch on Tuesday, announcing they have partnered with York Space Systems, a Denver-based company focused on advancements in aerospace and defense technology.
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the promotion of Walker Monfort, All-Star voting, draft options, and some potential trade chips.
Five Colorado Rockies Who Could be Dealt as MLB Trade Deadline Approaches | OnSI
There will be plenty of articles like this one floating around on the internet. Aside from the usuals, Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman are both listed as potential options.
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