Yankees Top 30 Prospects for 2020: Anthony Garcia (OF, #30)
Today we start a Yankees Top-30 Prospects Countdown for the 2020 season with OF Anthony Garcia.
Starting last season as the Yankees #22 Overall prospect, his stock fell to #24 after the draft and he just barely cracked the Top-30 this season due to injuries keeping him to only 6 games played in 2019. Another season at Pulaski (ROK) is expected for 2020, but a move to Staten Island (Class A, Short) isn’t outside of the cards if he continues to show promise at the plate.
(Screenshot From Pinstriped Prospects Video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnZcUOxGzDI)
Anthony Garcia, OF (#30):
Age/Date of Birth: 19 Years Old (09/05/2000)
2019 Team(s): Pulaski Yankees (Rookie Advanced)
2019 Statistics: .294/.417/.706 (1.123 OPS), 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 5 Walks, 9 Strikeouts (6 Games, 17 At-Bats)
2018 Statistics: .218/.300/.456 (.755 OPS), 10 HRs, 24 RBIs, 23 Walks, 88 Strikeouts (53 Games, 193 At-Bats)
Bats/Throws: Switch (Favoring Left)/Right
Height/Weight: 6’5”/230 Pounds
Acquired: Signed on July 2nd, 2017 (NYY)
MLB ETA: 2023
Anthony Garcia Scouting Grades (20-80 Scale):
Power/Hit: 40/55
Run: 40
Field/Arm: 45/50
Overall: 40
What to Know:
The New York Yankees originally signed the then 16-year-old Anthony Garcia as an International Free Agent (IFA) on July 2nd, 2017 for $500,000. That was the same year the Yankees signed 5 of the Top-20 IFA’s– including fellow Outfielder Everson Pereira (coming soon)- yet Garcia was not seen as one of the premier international talents available that year. Already at 6’5” and 204 pounds when signed, Garcia was instead seen as one of the top physical prospects available, but one who’d need to put in work to achieve his potential.
His first season, coming the year after he was signed in 2018, Garcia showed that his lack of plate discipline was going to be a big hurdle for him to overcome as he struck out in just over 40% of his plate appearances. Yet, he did show his tremendous raw power, bat speed, and overall strength from both sides of the plate as he led the Gulf Coast League with 10 Home Runs.
His 2019 season was cut extremely short because of a quadriceps injury which kept him out from late-June until mid-September, limiting his play to only 6 games. It’s very hard to take any true meaning from a mere six games, where in his very limited showing displayed great hitting power with a Slugging Percentage above .700, yet this also came with his above 40% Strikeout Percentage.
Overall, Garcia has good speed and a good arm for right field, of which conditioning and fielding have been key parts of his game that he works on. This has led to an expectation of being a future corner outfielder as he continues to progress in baseball, which is where he has spent the last two seasons (mostly in Right Field) and where his arm receives average to above-average grades.
What Will the Future Hold?
Obviously, starting the season with the Rookie Advanced Pulaksi Yankees should be expected for the switch-hitting outfielder, a large factor of which is because of his injury. After only spending 11 games with Pulaski over his 2018 and 2019 campaigns, it should be expected he sticks around there for most of the season, yet a move up to the Class A (Short Season) Staten Island Yankees could very well happen. As Pulaski Yankees manager Luis Dorante said at the beginning of last season, “We’ve just got to teach [Anthony Garcia] how to be patient. The power’s there. It’s just a matter of how to use it. … We probably won’t see him the whole 68 games here” (The Roanoke Times).
A move up the prospect rankings could also very much come for Garica in 2020, provided he is able to control his patience and eye at the plate. Even given his big size and an expectation for slowing down as he continues to age and put on weight, at this point in his career those aren’t big concerns and are more-so seen as things to look for in future seasons and as he continues to progress through the minor leagues. If everything works for him as planned he could very well find himself back in talks for being in the Yankees Top-20 prospects range again.
