R.I.P. Jose Fernandez

The DMBL recently lost a budding superstar in Jose Fernandez, who was killed in a boating accident in September.

The 24-year-old Cuban native was the top pick in the 2014 draft by the then-Brick City Batmen (who have since become the Poovey Farms Dairy Cows). He was counted among the No. 1 overall picks on his way to stardom rather than a flame-out or one-year wonder. He was taken ahead of Yasiel Puig, an ineligible Masahiro Tanaka and Danny Salazar in a first round that also included Sonny Gray, Christian Yelich, and an ineligible Michael Wacha.

Fernandez was among three first-round picks by Brick City that year, taking Puig at No. 2 and Travis Wood with the final pick. The franchise had six selections in the top 20 (No. 20 was an ineligible Xander Boegarts).

In a remarkable rookie campaign, Fernandez went 17-5 with a 2.06 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He racked up 240 strikeouts in 222 1/3 innings and 32 starts and would have been a serious contender, if not runway winner, for the Pat Listach Award -- if it was still active. The Rookie of the Year award was last given out in 2012 because owners can't be bothered to cast a vote (...just checking to make sure you're still reading...).

Fernandez made the move with the franchise when it was taken over by Poovey Farms in 2015 but missed the entire DMBL season due to Tommy John surgery.

This past season, he went 12-14 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 33 starts for the Dairy Cows. He compiled 216 strikeouts in 204 2/3 innings to rank 9th in the league in Ks. He also ranked 6th in the league in K/9 (9.5). Fernandez led Poovey Farms in strikeouts and tied with Cole Hamels and Aaron Nola for a team-high 12 wins on a squad that went 68-94.

In two full seasons in the DMBL, Fernandez sports a 29-19 record (.604) with 456 strikeouts in 427 innings (55 starts), for a career 9.6 K/9.

Fernandez will look to make history in 2017 as he's still eligible for DMBL, joining the likes of Darryl Kile, Mike Darr and Cory Lidle as players who were active in DMBL after they expired. Those three had mediocre final seasons but there's not much doubt that Fernandez will put together the best swan song season among them.