The White Sox have claimed right-hander Raul Fernandez off waivers from the Rockies and assigned him to Class-A Advanced Winston-Salem, the team announced on Twitter. The 24-year-old Fernandez was designated for assignment last week to clear a roster spot for fellow righty Brooks Brown.
Fernandez ranked as Colorado’s No. 22 prospect heading into the season, according to Baseball America. As BA’s scouting report explains, Fernandez is a converted catcher that is new to pitching but boasts a power arm, including a fastball that touches 99 mph. However, he has little feel for pitching and needs to work on his changeup and slider as well as his command.
Clearly, his first run at Class-A Advanced didn’t go so well, as the Dominican righty posted a 7.00 ERA with a 20-to-15 K/BB ratio in 27 innings. He posted an equally troubling 6.29 ERA in 34 1/3 innings at Class A last season, though he had a much better 55-to-11 K/BB ratio in 2013.
