In 1954, he was the International League's All-Star shortstop, then he batted a career-best .301 in 1955. But he was not able to break into the Dodger lineup, which featured future Baseball Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese as shortstop and anchor of its infield. After 3 years at Triple-A, Fernández finally was recalled to Brooklyn in July 1956.
Fernández's impressive performance earned him an All-Star selection with the International League in 1954, followed by a remarkable .301 batting average in 1955. Despite his outstanding skills, he was unable to crack the Dodger lineup, which boasted future Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese as its shortstop and infield cornerstone. After three years of development at Triple-A, Fernández finally secured a promotion to Brooklyn in July 1956.