Diamonbacks add Junior Fernandez on minor league pact ahead of spring training

The Arizona Diamondbacks have added another arm to their spring training squad, signing right-hander Junior Fernandez to a minor league contract and inviting him to big league camp. Fernandez, who officially inked the deal back in November according to his MLB.com profile page, is one of the non-roster invitees endeavoring to make an impression as Arizona gets ready for the new season.Now approaching age 29, Fernandez is trying to work his way back to the majors after spending more than three years away from the big league mound. While the Diamondbacks have made it clear they want to add bullpen depth, the low-risk move gives them a chance to evaluate a power arm whose career has intrigued many evaluators.Fernandez last played a Major League game in 2022 and spent most of the 2024 season in rehabilitation after playing briefly with Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines. Before that, he spent some time at the Triple-A level, playing for several different organisations such as the Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals in 2023, followed by stints with the top affiliates of the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets last year.In 2025, Fernandez combined for 43 innings while playing Triple-A stops, posting a 4.40 ERA. Moreover, he struck out an impressive 29.5% of opposing hitters, but control was always an issue, as was displayed in a hefty 14% walk rate.That blend of swing-and-miss potential and wildness has characterized Fernandez's career. Armed with upper-90s velocity, the right-hander has been plagued by the inability to turn his raw power into sustained success at the major league level. Over 54 innings played in the MLB with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019-22, he had a 5.17 ERA, with an 18.7% strikeout rate and a 13.9% walk rate.Fernandez turns 29 in March, which leaves open the question of whether a late-career breakthrough is still possible. For Arizona, however, the gamble is very small. A non-roster invitation does little to immediately fix the club's bullpen needs, but finding a hidden jewel could go a long way toward building the club's relief corps.