Jose Fernandez's friend reveals how the Marlins pitcher was preparing for fatherhood

Jose Fernandez's friend and agent in a heartbreaking eulogy revealed how late Marlins pitcher was excited to become a father. At the baseball player's funeral on 28 September, Scott Boras also disclosed the adorable ways Fernandez was preparing himself for fatherhood.

The 24-year-old had announced he was going to become a father just six days before he was killed in a fatal boating accident in the early hours of 25 September along with his friends Emilio Jesus Macias, 27, and Eduardo Rivero, 25. Fernandez was born in Cuba but defected to the US in 2008.

"When he found out he was going to be a father he wanted to know: 'Am I going to be a good father?' and I told him, 'You're going to be a great father, because you're going to treat your child like your mother treated you. And you'll know exactly what to do.' The next day he bought a glove and put Penelope on it for his unborn daughter," Boras was quoted as saying by Hollywoodlife.

Meanwhile, Fernandez's pregnant girlfriend – Maria Arias – made her first public appearance at the late baseball player's funeral service. The 24-year-old attended the ceremony at St. Brendan's Catholic Church in Miami. She is reportedly four months pregnant with her due date set for February.

Before his death, Fernandez had shared a photo of his girlfriend with her growing baby bump. "I'm so glad you came into my life. I'm ready for where this journey is going to take us together. #familyfirst," he captioned the photo.

Meanwhile, Fernandez boxing instructor, Matt Baiamonte, has shutdown rumours that the trio was killed because they were inebriated when the accident took place.

"I do not buy into the stories that they were drinking and that this is what caused the accident. Jose and Eduardo were clean living guys who loved to train and stay fit," Baiamonte told Hollywoodlife.

"The investigation should be into why there is not proper lighting on those rocks. At high tide and at night it would be too easy to hit them and I believe that is what happened in this particular case," he said.