Alonso’s Fernandez Shines in Major League Debut

Jose Fernandez, 20, made history Sunday, April 7, when he took the mound as the starting pitcher for the Miami Marlins.

While the New York Mets won the game 4-2, according to NJ.com, Fernandez, a former standout Alonso High School player, assured his name would appear in the record books.

Fernandez’s pitching performance was “historic,” according to the Sun-Sentinel. “He became just the seventh starter under age 21 since 1916 to strike out eight or more in his major league debut.”

His debut on the mound also made Marlins’ history. He’s the youngest starter in the team’s history and the third youngest player ever on its roster.

During his time as an Alonso Raven, Fernandez made headlines helping his team win two state titles in three years. He was a Marlins first-round draft pick in 2011.

"We are very excited for him," said Orlando Faedo, the school's head baseball coach at the time of Fernandez’s conversion to the major leagues. "It's well deserved."

The other seven pitchers to strike out more than eight batters in their major league debut, according to Sun-Sentinel.com, are:

• Rudy May (1965 Angels) Dave Morehead (1963 Red Sox) with 10
• Curt Simmons (1947 Phillies) with nine
• Denny McClain (1963 Tigers), Gary Nolan (1967 Reds) and David Clyde (1973 Rangers) with eight.

Did you tune in to watch Fernandez’s major league debut? How do you think he did? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

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