Rafael Fernandez (baseball, born 1988)

Rafael Fernandez
Fernandez with the Mets in 2022
Major League Coaching Assitant
Born: (1988-08-03) August 3, 1988 (age 36)
Tenares, Dominican Republic
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Teams

Rafael A. Fernandez Reyes (born August 3, 1988) is a Dominican professional baseball coach. In 2019 he was the batting practice pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB) In 2022 he was promoted to Coaching Assistant.

Career

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Playing career

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Fernandez began his professional playing career in the Mets farm system signed as an undrafted free agent playing for seven years as an outfielder beginning in 2006 with the Dominican Summer League Mets. In 2007 with the Gulf Coast League Mets, 2008 for the Kingsport Mets and the Brooklyn Cyclones, 2009 for the Savannah Sand Gnats, 2010 for the Gnats and the St. Lucie Mets, 2011 for St. Lucie before being demoted back to the Gnats. In 2012, he was promoted to the Binghamton Mets before being demoted once again to St. Lucie. Played Winter ball with the Gigantes del Cibao from 2009–2012 season and the Estrellas de Oriente for 2013-2014 of the Dominican Winter League who send him to Colombia to winter ball with Leonel De Monteria. In 2014 Rafael represented Dominican Republic in the Central American games in Veracruz Mexico where the DR selection finished 3rd winning a Bronze medal.

Coaching career

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Fernandez began his coaching career in the Mets minor league system as an outfield coach in May 2015 before being promoted to hitting coach in November 2015. In 2016 he was named the hitting coach for the Dominican Summer League Mets 2.[1] From 2017 to 2018, he was the hitting coach for the Gulf Coast Mets.[2] In 2019, Fernandez was hired as the hitting coach for the Kingsport Mets.[3] In August of 2019 he was also named Assitant hitting Coach for the Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter ball. In 2020, he was named the hitting coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones and Quality Control/Assitant Hitting coach for the Gigantes del Cibao. [4] In 2021, Fernandez was promoted to the Mets coaching staff as the batting practice pitcher replacing Ender Chávez, In 2022 Rafael was promoted to coaching assistant.

References

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  1. ^ "Mets Name Rookie Coaching Staffs With Some New Faces". Mets Minors. January 17, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Led by Accardo, Mets Name Rookie Coaching Staffs". Mets Minors. February 17, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  3. ^ "Kingsport Mets Announce 2019 Coaching Staff". Our Sports Central. April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  4. ^ "Brooklyn Cyclones Announce 2020 Coaching Staff". Mets Minors. February 4, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
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