Harvey Garcia
| IP | 12.0 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.50 |
| WHIP | 1.750 |
| BB/9 | 5.3 |
| SO/9 | 11.3 |
- Full name Harvey A. Garcia
- Born 03/16/1984 in Caracas, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Mia Alegria
- Debut 09/03/2007
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Dumped by the current Marlins regime after it took over in 2002, Garcia was reacquired from the Red Sox in the Josh Beckett trade in November 2005. He served as Jupiter's primary closer in 2006, but served in a setup role in the upper minors last season. A late-season audition with the Marlins went well enough to give him a decent shot at breaking camp in their bullpen this year. Garcia comes right at hitters with a 93-95 mph fastball he sometimes tries to overthrow, leaving it up in the zone. He has developed two different sliders, one a conventional type he throws for strikes and another he throws with a spike grip that features a bigger break. He has the makings of an excellent changeup but rarely uses it. Garcia can be demonstrative on the mound, sometimes to his own detriment, and struggles to maintain his confidence. He has broad shoulders and a lean, projectable frame but must sharpen his command in order to stick in the majors for good. -
Released by the new Marlins regime shortly after it took over in 2002, Garcia followed signing scouts Louie Eljaua and Miguel Garcia to the Red Sox. Three years later he came back to Florida as a throw-in to complete the sprawling Josh Beckett deal with Boston. Garcia emerged as the primary closer at Jupiter in 2006, touching 97 mph with his fastball and pitching at 93-95. Demonstrative on the mound, some saw a little bit of Pascual Perez in him. Others said he resembled a young Mariano Rivera in his lean, broad-shouldered, projectable physique. Garcia has the makings of a solid changeup but didn't use it much, in part because he still throws it too hard. He relied instead on a slurvy breaking ball to get hitters off his heater. His velocity tailed off near season's end and his command remains a question. He also struggled to maintain his confidence when things went against him, leading some to deduce his animated behavior was really a front. Always willing to take the ball, he projects as a set-up man more so than a closer. He'll take the next step to Double-A in 2007. -
When the Josh Beckett trade expanded to send Guillermo Mota to Boston, the Red Sox added Garcia on their end. It's actually his second tour of duty with the Marlins, as Florida's former director of Latin American scouting Louie Eljaua originally signed Garcia in 2002. When the Marlins released Garcia in mid-2002, Eljaua had moved onto the Red Sox and quickly snapped him up. Garcia is very similar to Jesus Delgado, another piece of the Beckett deal. Both are Venezuelans who throw in the mid-90s, top out at 98 and have a lot of work to do with their secondary pitches. Garcia throws a little consistently harder than Delgado, but his offspeed stuff is a little less advanced. As with Delgado, Garcia's changeup is better than his hard curveball. Garcia is trying to simplify his delivery in order to gain more consistency. He has good control but still is learning that just laying the ball over the plate isn't going to work. He'll move up to high Class A with Delgado this year, and he could see time in the rotation there. -
Louie Elajua was Marlins director of Latin American scouting when the club signed Garcia in 2000. He had moved on to Boston as international scouting director with owner John Henry and Co. when Florida released Garcia in June 2002, and the Red Sox quickly signed him a week later. That moves looks wise, as Garcia was one of the better pitching prospects in the Gulf Coast League last year. He can reach 95 mph with his fastball and should add velocity as he fills out. His heater has explosive late life, and because he throws with little effort he commands it well. Garcia still has a long way to go with the rest of his repertoire. He no-hit the GCL Reds for six innings by throwing almost exclusively fastballs and doesn't trust his curveball or changeup. One observer said he needs to finish his delivery better to reduce the risk of injury. Because Garcia is so raw, he'll probably open 2004 in extended spring training and advance to Lowell in June.
Minor League Top Prospects
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A 6-foot-2, 170-pound Venezuelan, Garcia can run his fastball up to 95 mph and projects to get stronger. He also has excellent command of the pitch and no-hit the Reds for six innings in one outing using almost nothing but fastballs. "He pitches with a lot of poise and confidence," Hernandez said,"and he can really spot his fastball." Garcia's other pitches have potential but aren't as advanced. He has a chance to have an above-average breaking ball, but his changeup needs a lot of refinement.
