Luis Garcia

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #15 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: One of the top players in the 2017 international class who signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million, Garcia won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in 2018, struggled mightily at Low-A in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site, where he added muscle to his frame. He was slow out of the gate in 2021, but an encouraging August led to a September promotion to High-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Garcia’s strength gains helped him tap into more power this season, hitting a career-high 13 home runs and posting the highest exit velocities of his professional career. Those power gains led to higher exit velocities at instructional league, where he topped out at 108 mph. Garcia has a tendency to get heavy on his front leg at the plate, and he made mechanical changes to get behind the ball better and stay on the ball. Garcia raised his walk rate significantly from the 2019 season and showed improved bat speed, an area of emphasis coming into the season. He’ll need to continue showing improvement with his bat speed, pitch recognition skills and staying on the right bat path to reduce his groundball rate. Garcia is a plus defender at shortstop with easy actions, solid range and an above-average arm who can also play second base. He spent his time at instructional league working at different positions around the infield, and the Phillies added him to the 40-man roster this winter.
  
  The Future: Garcia could be a useful defensive option off the bench in the majors, but he’ll need significant improvement from his bat to get him to that point.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #6 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 45. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia was one of the top prospects in a deep 2017 international class that included Wander Franco and Julio Rodriguez. He signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million and won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in his 2018 pro debut. The Phillies sent Garcia to low Class A Lakewood in 2019, but he hit under .200 for most of the year and struggled to impact the ball.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The switch-hitting Garcia shows all the tools to hit. He has short, quick swings from both sides of the plate, catches up to velocity, recognizes pitches and puts together good at-bats. He simply lacked strength, so he spent 2020 working on his body and added 20 pounds to his frame. The increase led to a career-high 107 mph maximum exit velocity during instructional league, and his bat speed also showed significant improvement. In theory, he should now be able to generate more power and make it harder for outfielders to play him shallow. Garcia is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, smooth footwork and above-average arm strength. He’s an average runner with enough range for the position.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Garcia can be even a fringe-average hitter, his defense will carry him to the majors. He will try to show that his strength gains made a difference in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #7 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia ranked as the 12th best prospect in the loaded 2017 international amateur class that also included Wander Franco, Ronny Mauricio, Julio Rodriguez and George Valera. Garcia had one of the loudest debuts, as he won the Gulf Coast League batting title in 2018. Garcia's second pro season was much rougher. His .186 batting average was 10th worst among all minor league hitters with 400 or more plate appearances and his .255 slugging percentage was fifth worst.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia's lack of physicality was apparent all season—he didn't get steadily better as he caught up to the league. Instead, he hit below .200 in all but one month of the season. He puts together solid at-bats, has excellent hand-eye coordination and has solid pitch recognition for his age. Because of a lack of snap in his wrists, Garcia simply doesn't hit the ball hard enough to make pitchers respect him. When pitchers challenge him, he makes a lot of soft contact. Outfielders played him shallow because they didn't need to worry about him hitting it over their heads. There is still hope for the future, though. Garcia is an above-average glove at shortstop with an above-average arm. While he's unlikely to ever have better than 30-grade power, improved strength will equate to harder line drives and make an average hit tool seem achievable. He's an average runner who might get a little faster if he gets stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: Garcia has the upside of an everyday shortstop, but many things have to come together to get him there. If he doesn't significantly develop, he's one of many good-glove, light-hitting shortstops that populate the minors.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Garcia was one of the top players in a stacked 2017 class of international prospects, with the Phillies signing him for $2.5 million. The Phillies aggressively pushed Garcia to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to make his pro debut, and he won the batting title by hitting .369 and ranked third in on-base percentage.
  
  Scouting Report: As an amateur, Garcia earned widespread praise from scouts for his defense. He's a smooth defender who is light on his feet with soft hands and a plus arm. Garcia has the ability to make the flashy, acrobatic plays, but he separates himself from most young shortstops because of his calm, collected poise and smart decision-making, which is why he committed just five errors in 43 games. When Garcia signed, scouts were split on whether he would fit better at the top or bottom of a lineup, but he looked excellent at the plate in the GCL, showing signs of a potential future .300 hitter with strong on-base skills. A solid-average runner, Garcia tracks pitches well and controls the strike zone, setting up from both sides with a calm, quiet approach and a short stroke to shoot line drives to all fields with doubles power.
  
  The Future: Garcia is still at least a few years away, but he could soon become the Phillies' top prospect as a potential plus hitter with plus defense at a premium position. He will be one of the youngest players in the low Class A South Atlantic League in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #17 prospect in 2018
  Garcia stood out early in the scouting process as one of the top international prospects in the 2017 class, then signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million when the signing period opened on July 2. Garcia is a smooth-fielding shortstop with slick defensive actions. His body is more compact than the typical wiry shortstops his age, but he was one of the best defensive shortstops in the 2017 class. A solid-average runner, he is light on his feet with quick, soft hands. He can make the flashy barehanded play but he's also a fundamentally sound player for his age and has a plus arm. Garcia's biggest believers saw him as a well-rounded player who could potentially hit toward the top of the lineup, though there was a split camp on his offensive upside. He's a switch-hitter whose stroke is better from the left side, but both swings are short and quick. He uses his hands well and hits to all fields, though he doesn't have much power and mostly puts the ball on the ground. Garcia impressed Phillies coaches at the instructional league with his feel for the strike zone. He should make his pro debut in 2018 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #1 prospect in 2018
  Garcia was one of the premium international prospects a year ago when the Phillies signed for $2.5 million after he trained with Carlos Guzman, whose program that year also had Mets shortstop Ronny Mauricio, the No. 2 prospect on this list. Highly regarded for his fielding ability as an amateur, Garcia not only played slick defense in the GCL but also won the batting title (.369) and ranked third in the league in on-base percentage (.433). Garcia is a smooth, graceful defender at shortstop with quick feet, great hands and a plus arm. He has the ability to make the flashy barehanded play, though unlike a lot of young shortstops, Garcia also makes smart decisions in the field and plays under control. While there was a split camp among scouts on Garcia’s hitting ability as an amateur, he showed a mature hitting approach from both sides in the GCL. A solid-average runner, Garcia has a calm, quiet setup and uses his hands well at the plate, staying within the strike zone and spraying line drives around the field with gap power.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #88 prospect in 2019

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: One of the top players in the 2017 international class who signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million, Garcia won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in 2018, struggled mightily at Low-A in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site, where he added muscle to his frame. He was slow out of the gate in 2021, but an encouraging August led to a September promotion to High-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Garcia&#39s strength gains helped him tap into more power this season, hitting a career-high 13 home runs and posting the highest exit velocities of his professional career. Those power gains led to higher exit velocities at instructional league, where he topped out at 108 mph. Garcia has a tendency to get heavy on his front leg at the plate, and he made mechanical changes to get behind the ball better and stay on the ball. Garcia raised his walk rate significantly from the 2019 season and showed improved bat speed, an area of emphasis coming into the season. He&#39ll need to continue showing improvement with his bat speed, pitch recognition skills and staying on the right bat path to reduce his groundball rate. Garcia is a plus defender at shortstop with easy actions, solid range and an above-average arm who can also play second base. He spent his time at instructional league working at different positions around the infield, and the Phillies added him to the 40-man roster this winter.
  
  The Future: Garcia could be a useful defensive option off the bench in the majors, but he&#39ll need significant improvement from his bat to get him to that point.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: One of the top players in the 2017 international class who signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million, Garcia won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in 2018, struggled mightily at Low-A in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site, where he added muscle to his frame. He was slow out of the gate in 2021, but an encouraging August led to a September promotion to High-A.
  
  Scouting Report: Garcia’s strength gains helped him tap into more power this season, hitting a career-high 13 home runs and posting the highest exit velocities of his professional career. Those power gains led to higher exit velocities at instructional league, where he topped out at 108 mph. Garcia has a tendency to get heavy on his front leg at the plate, and he made mechanical changes to get behind the ball better and stay on the ball. Garcia raised his walk rate significantly from the 2019 season and showed improved bat speed, an area of emphasis coming into the season. He’ll need to continue showing improvement with his bat speed, pitch recognition skills and staying on the right bat path to reduce his groundball rate. Garcia is a plus defender at shortstop with easy actions, solid range and an above-average arm who can also play second base. He spent his time at instructional league working at different positions around the infield, and the Phillies added him to the 40-man roster this winter.
  
  The Future: Garcia could be a useful defensive option off the bench in the majors, but he’ll need significant improvement from his bat to get him to that point.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia was one of the top prospects in a deep 2017 international class that included Wander Franco and Julio Rodriguez. He signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million and won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in his 2018 pro debut. The Phillies sent Garcia to low Class A Lakewood in 2019, but he hit under .200 for most of the year and struggled to impact the ball.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The switch-hitting Garcia shows all the tools to hit. He has short, quick swings from both sides of the plate, catches up to velocity, recognizes pitches and puts together good at-bats. He simply lacked strength, so he spent 2020 working on his body and added 20 pounds to his frame. The increase led to a career-high 107 mph maximum exit velocity during instructional league, and his bat speed also showed significant improvement. In theory, he should now be able to generate more power and make it harder for outfielders to play him shallow. Garcia is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, smooth footwork and above-average arm strength. He's an average runner with enough range for the position.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Garcia can be even a fringe-average hitter, his defense will carry him to the majors. He will try to show that his strength gains made a difference in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia was one of the top prospects in a deep 2017 international class that included Wander Franco and Julio Rodriguez. He signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million and won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in his 2018 pro debut. The Phillies sent Garcia to low Class A Lakewood in 2019, but he hit under .200 for most of the year and struggled to impact the ball.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The switch-hitting Garcia shows all the tools to hit. He has short, quick swings from both sides of the plate, catches up to velocity, recognizes pitches and puts together good at-bats. He simply lacked strength, so he spent 2020 working on his body and added 20 pounds to his frame. The increase led to a career-high 107 mph maximum exit velocity during instructional league, and his bat speed also showed significant improvement. In theory, he should now be able to generate more power and make it harder for outfielders to play him shallow. Garcia is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, smooth footwork and above-average arm strength. He’s an average runner with enough range for the position.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Garcia can be even a fringe-average hitter, his defense will carry him to the majors. He will try to show that his strength gains made a difference in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia was one of the top prospects in a deep 2017 international class that included Wander Franco and Julio Rodriguez. He signed with the Phillies for $2.5 million and won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in his 2018 pro debut. The Phillies sent Garcia to low Class A Lakewood in 2019, but he hit under .200 for most of the year and struggled to impact the ball.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The switch-hitting Garcia shows all the tools to hit. He has short, quick swings from both sides of the plate, catches up to velocity, recognizes pitches and puts together good at-bats. He simply lacked strength, so he spent 2020 working on his body and added 20 pounds to his frame. The increase led to a career-high 107 mph maximum exit velocity during instructional league, and his bat speed also showed significant improvement. In theory, he should now be able to generate more power and make it harder for outfielders to play him shallow. Garcia is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, smooth footwork and above-average arm strength. He’s an average runner with enough range for the position.
  
  THE FUTURE: If Garcia can be even a fringe-average hitter, his defense will carry him to the majors. He will try to show that his strength gains made a difference in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia ranked as the 12th best prospect in the loaded 2017 international amateur class that also included Wander Franco, Ronny Mauricio, Julio Rodriguez and George Valera. Garcia had one of the loudest debuts, as he won the Gulf Coast League batting title in 2018. Garcia’s second pro season was much rougher. His .186 batting average was 10th worst among all minor league hitters with 400 or more plate appearances and his .255 slugging percentage was fifth worst.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia’s lack of physicality was apparent all season—he didn’t get steadily better as he caught up to the league. Instead, he hit below .200 in all but one month of the season. He puts together solid at-bats, has excellent hand-eye coordination and has solid pitch recognition for his age. Because of a lack of snap in his wrists, Garcia simply doesn’t hit the ball hard enough to make pitchers respect him. When pitchers challenge him, he makes a lot of soft contact. Outfielders played him shallow because they didn’t need to worry about him hitting it over their heads. There is still hope for the future, though. Garcia is an above-average glove at shortstop with an above-average arm. While he’s unlikely to ever have better than 30-grade power, improved strength will equate to harder line drives and make an average hit tool seem achievable. He’s an average runner who might get a little faster if he gets stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: Garcia has the upside of an everyday shortstop, but many things have to come together to get him there. If he doesn’t significantly develop, he’s one of many good-glove, light-hitting shortstops that populate the minors.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia ranked as the 12th best prospect in the loaded 2017 international amateur class that also included Wander Franco, Ronny Mauricio, Julio Rodriguez and George Valera. Garcia had one of the loudest debuts, as he won the Gulf Coast League batting title in 2018. Garcia's second pro season was much rougher. His .186 batting average was 10th worst among all minor league hitters with 400 or more plate appearances and his .255 slugging percentage was fifth worst.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia's lack of physicality was apparent all season—he didn't get steadily better as he caught up to the league. Instead, he hit below .200 in all but one month of the season. He puts together solid at-bats, has excellent hand-eye coordination and has solid pitch recognition for his age. Because of a lack of snap in his wrists, Garcia simply doesn't hit the ball hard enough to make pitchers respect him. When pitchers challenge him, he makes a lot of soft contact. Outfielders played him shallow because they didn't need to worry about him hitting it over their heads. There is still hope for the future, though. Garcia is an above-average glove at shortstop with an above-average arm. While he's unlikely to ever have better than 30-grade power, improved strength will equate to harder line drives and make an average hit tool seem achievable. He's an average runner who might get a little faster if he gets stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: Garcia has the upside of an everyday shortstop, but many things have to come together to get him there. If he doesn't significantly develop, he's one of many good-glove, light-hitting shortstops that populate the minors.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Garcia was Philadelphia’s big-ticket international signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2017, when they gave him $2.5 million. He was one of the best defensive shortstops in his class, with quick feet, soft hands and a plus arm. In his pro debut, Garcia has also shown an encouraging offensive approach, working the count into his favor and showing good contact skills from both sides of the plate, albeit without much power yet.