Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, who is still weeks away from a return to the majors coming off Tommy John surgery in 2014, is set become an American citizen, per the Palm Beach Post.
The 22-year-old Fernandez, who defected from Cuba in 2008, will partake in a naturalization ceremony Friday. The ceremony will be held in Kendall, Fla., according a press release from the USCIS Kendall Field Office.
Fernandez is also expected to be a keynote speaker during the event, which will naturalize another 140 South Florida residents.
Fernandez was the 14th pick in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Alonso High School in Tampa, Fla. He spent just two seasons in the minors before making his MLB debut in 2013. He made the jump from high Class A after going 14-2 with a 2.20 ERA in 27 minor-league starts.
Fernandez was a breakout player in 2013 -- winning the NL Rookie of the Year award, being chosen for the All-Star team and finishing third in the NL Cy Young race. The right-hander was off to a promising start in 2014 before hurting his elbow after eight starts. He last pitched in a major-league game May 9.
