2022 Playoff MVP Returns to the Majors

The London Majors are pleased to announce the signing of 2022 IBL Playoff MVP Fernando Fernandez.

During the 2022 regular season, Fernandez pitched 23 innings over 12 games including 2 starts. Over those 12 games, Fernandez had 21 strikeouts while recording a record of 2 wins and 1 loss but once the playoffs started it was a new season for the Mercier, Quebec native. In an outstanding playoff, Fernandez pitched 20.2 innings in 7 games (5 of the 6 final games in the championship round) including the start in game 5 where he pitched 5 innings of 3 hit baseball giving the Majors a chance to win the championship two nights later in Toronto. In the final game in Toronto (Game 6), after what was already an epic story for the Majors, Fernando would come in and record the most memorable save of his IBL career so far. Overall his 3.91 ERA was 3rd amongst pitchers who pitched in more than 10 games this past season for the Majors.

When asked about watching the start of the game and the Majors fall behind from the bullpen, Fernandez was key to point out the team's strengths “It was tough to watch for sure(The Leafs take a commanding lead)! The last thing we wanted is to go down in the championship game having to battle back in an away game. Being (down) 7-0 is quite a mountain to climb but one thing I can say about last year's team is that we never gave up, we trusted one another to get the job done and always gave ourselves a chance to win the game. It’s that same trust that gave us the win that night. I knew we were 1 hit away, 1 defensive play away from getting a spark and making our way back”. 

Pitching the 9th inning and closing out back-to-back championships, he was emotional when discussing it “Seeing Kieran run towards me was pretty special for me! My first appearance with the team I didn’t do too well and he was behind the plate, after that game he said “Don’t worry, you’ll find your groove”, to have him on the very last game behind the plate and closing the season with the Majors being champions, couldn’t have been written better”

Another key piece to the Majors pitching staff, Roop Chanderdat is looking for Fernandez to return to his elite level of pitching “Fernando was dominant in the playoffs. He is a pitcher I have a lot of trust in using in any situation. Once Fernando found his form last year he was one of the elite pitchers in the league.”

The London Majors are a member of Canada’s top baseball league, the Intercounty Baseball League. In 2021 the London Majors won the IBL Jack & Lynn Dominico Trophy. The 100-year old summer league is one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world. The league was established in 1919, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. For more information, visit www.londonmajors.com or follow the Majors on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and TikTok at @Londonmajors