USF commit Fernandez signs with Marlins

Posted Aug 16, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 15, 2011 at 11:49 PM

USF baseball coach Lelo Prado always expected to lose commit Jose Fernandez to the professional ranks, and though it went down to the final hour before the deadline for draft picks to sign with their respective clubs, that’s exactly what happened.

The Tampa Tribune’s Eddie Daniels reported late Monday night that Fernandez, a right-handed pitcher out of Tampa’s Alonso High, had signed with the Florida Marlins, who selected him 14th overall in June’s MLB draft. Fernandez, who was Florida’s Mr. Baseball Award recipient after leading Alonso to the Class 6A state title in his final prep season, received a reported $2 million bonus.