Yoyner Fajardo

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2018
DSL:  311/402/455, 222 AB, 13 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR, 29 BB, 28 K, 17-20 SB

Fajardo was the best hitter on either of the Pirates’ DSL teams, as he hit for average and gap power, with very good plate discipline.  He also did very well as a base stealer.  His hitting tailed off as the season went along; his monthly OPS from June through July was 1.100, .808 and .690.  He didn’t hit well against LHPs, but the sample size was very small.  The Pirates employed Fajardo everywhere except first base and catcher, but he played third, second and short, in that order, the most.

2019
R:  337/395/365, 104 AB, 3 2B, 9 BB, 11 K, 16-20 SB
R+:  348/380/370, 46 AB, 1 2B, 1 BB, 7 K, 0-2 SB

The Pirates sent Fajardo to the GCL, where he primarily played second while also seeing time in the outfield and as DH.  In early August they promoted him to Bristol, where he divided his time evenly between second, DH and the outfield corners.  At both stops, he hit for high average with good contact skills, but no power.

2020
DNP

2021
A:  309/397/471, 68 AB, 4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 8 BB, 15 K, 8-8 SB
A+:  246/347/292, 65 AB, 3 2B, 8 BB, 13 K, 6-11 SB

Fajardo joined Bradenton in late May.  He got only occasional playing time for a while, but he hit extremely well and played semi-regularly in July.  The Pirates moved him up to Greensboro and he hit well initially, but slumped in September, going 3-for-27.  He had a huge platoon split, putting up just a .460 OPS against LHPs in very limited at-bats against them.  Fajardo stole a lot of bases for the amount of time he played.  Most of his time at Bradenton was at second, and he played mostly the outfield corners at Greensboro.

2022
A+:  260/341/359, 304 AB, 6 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 36 BB, 64 K, 17-30 SB

Fajardo spent the season with Greensboro, playing semi-regularly and splitting his time between second and right.  The Pirates continued to keep him mostly away from LHPs and he went just 7-for-41 against them, with no extra base hits.  All six of his longballs came at home, so the park there probably helped him a lot.

Fajardo has usually hit for high averages but not much power.  The fact that his hitting overall dropped off at Greensboro may indicate that he’s in for some difficulty in advancing farther.