Luis Garcia

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #2 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia, whose father Luis played in the majors, was born in New York and moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 3. He grew into one of the top international prospects for his age and signed for $1.3 million in 2016. After hitting nearly .300 at both Class A levels in 2018, Garcia struggled to handle a tough assignment at Double-A. He did hit .278 in August and he also hit .276/.345/.382 in an impressive stint in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia was a teenager in a man's league in 2019, but he never wavered. He has solid bat-to-ball skills but needs to improve his strikezone knowledge and connect his upper and lower half in his swing. He shows hints of fringe-average power but the lefthanded batter primarily is a contact hitter. Garcia makes all the plays at shortstop laterally with a precise internal clock. His plus, accurate arm gives him the chance to be a plus shortstop. Garcia is an above-average runner now but will likely slow down to average as he becomes older and more physical.
  
  THE FUTURE: Even if Garcia returns to the Eastern League in 2020, he would be one of the youngest players on the field each night. He'll get another crack at Double-A in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #3 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The No. 3 prospect available in the 2016 international signing class, Garcia signed for $1.3 million and quickly showed that his skills could translate to pro ball with a strong debut season in the Gulf Coast League in 2017. He hit .298 in his full-season debut and even climbed to high Class A Potomac, where he was the only 18-year-old in the Carolina League.
  
  Scouting Report: Garcia stands out for his excellent feel to hit, with impressive hand-eye coordination, a consistent lefthanded stroke and a strong understanding of what he's trying to do at the plate. Nationals coaches raved about his baseball IQ, and while they didn't directly compare him with Juan Soto, they did point out that he makes adjustments within at-bats in a similar manner. While Garcia doesn't have huge raw power, he homered seven times and scouts noticed increased physicality in 2018, giving him a chance for above-average power in the future. Garcia's run grades seemed to be universally lower than a year ago, when he was a plus-plus runner--now he's closer to above-average. Defensively, Garcia has the instincts and arm for shortstop, but he might profile better at second base as he continues to fill out.
  
  The Future: Garcia should start the 2019 season with Potomac after just 40 games this season but could push his way to Double-A Harrisburg if he continues to hit.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #6 prospect in 2018
  Garcia was Washington's top international target in a 2016 signing class that included three players ranked among the top 15. He commanded $1.3 million because of his impressive all-around set of tools and simple lefthanded swing geared for line drives. His father of the same name played shortstop for the Tigers in 1999. Garcia lived up to his scouting report in his first season in 2017 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He used extremely quick hands and an advanced hitting approach to spray balls all over the field. He can rely on his hands a bit too much at the plate currently, and the next phase of his development will be getting his legs into his swing with more consistency. A plus-plus runner, Garcia gets down the line well and swiped 11 bases in 13 tries in his debut. Defensively, he has above-average arm strength, smooth actions and soft hands at shortstop, but he'll need a few years to continue honing the fundamentals and getting acclimated to the speed of the game. Garcia will be just 18 for most of 2018, when he should find his way to short-season Auburn.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #7 prospect in 2017
  The Nationals busted their international bonus pool in 2016 by signing three of the top 15 prospects in the class. Garcia, whose father Luis Garcia reached the big leagues in 1999 with the Tigers, was the No. 3 prospect in the class and headlined Washington's haul, though his bonus of $1.3 million was not the largest the Nationals handed out in 2016. Garcia has impressive all-around tools and evolved as a prospect in the year leading up to his signing. He has good bat-to-ball skills and a simple lefthanded swing that is geared for hitting line drives to the middle of the diamond. He makes loud contact and shows signs that he will develop more power as he physically matures. He is an excellent athlete with well above-average speed and plays with a hard-nosed, high-energy style. Garcia has above-average arm strength and good hands, giving scouts reason to believe he will be able to stay at shortstop. He will need to improve his infield actions, but even if he does move, his tools will play well at second base or in center field. Garcia is far from a finished product but earns praise for his baseball IQ and work ethic. Those traits will serve him well as he tries to become a big leaguer like his father. He will likely begin his pro career in the Dominican Summer League.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Eastern League #16 prospect in 2019
  Garcia was the only teenager to appear in over 100 games in the Eastern League this season. The 19-year old didn't put up gaudy numbers, but allowances must be made for him being younger than the average low Class A South Atlantic League player. June was his best month of the season, as he hit .312/.333/.385 with seven extra-base hits in 25 games. Garcia has shown good actions at shortstop with a plus arm and plays with energy. The biggest concern is his lower half, which evaluators think might get too thick for him to stay up the middle. His bat lags behind his defense, but he profiles as contact-over-power hitter with plus bat speed. Garcia profiles as a fringe-average runner. Considering his youth and feel for the game, his stat line doesn't do him justice. Garcia still profiles as an everyday big leaguer.
• 
  Ranked Carolina League #3 prospect in 2018
  Garcia joined the league on July 4, less than two months after he turned 18 but he rarely showed his age, as he flirted with hitting .300 over the second half of the season. Garcia was one of the purest hitters in the league as he has excellent hand-eye coordination, quick hands and a simple, repeatable swing. He’s prone to over-aggressiveness right now, but he hits almost everything. Garcia’s power is limited to yanking the ball over the fence right now, but considering his age and frame, he should have at least average power eventually. Managers and scouts were extremely impressed by how well Garcia understands the game at a young age. He soaks up instruction and shows an advanced feel for the nuances of the game. There is more skepticism about Garcia as a long-term shortstop. After bouncing him between shortstop, second and third base in low Class A, the Nationals let Garcia focus on shortstop with Potomac. He has a thicker lower-half for an 18-year-old and doesn’t have a quick first step. But he has a plus arm and solid instincts and he takes instruction well–he was much better going back on balls in August than in April.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #2 prospect in 2018
  Early in 2018, Garcia's confidence in his hands and swing could sometimes be his undoing, because he swung early and often. He still ranked among the SAL leaders in average (.297) and hits (88) when he moved to high Class A Potomac in July. At his new level, Garcia quickly became a much more selective hitter who waited for a better pitch to hit. Garcia's feel for the game, intelligence and ability to improve quickly are advanced for an 18-year-old. He has the bat speed to hit premium velocity, which could help him develop average power as well. Garcia could eventually slide from shortstop to second base or third base. His average speed this year is a grade lower than it was last year, and he played all three positions for Hagerstown. He has an above-average arm, but his range is based more on his ability to anticipate and read swings than quick feet.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #4 prospect in 2017
  Garcia was a favorite among international scouts in 2016, when the Nationals signed him for $1.3 million. Yet after looking great during extended spring training, Garcia was hitting .232/.274/.273 at the end of July. While many 17-year-olds wear down in the first season, Garcia made adjustments and rebounded in August, batting .370/.388/.500 over his final 24 games. Garcia is an aggressive hitter with good hand-eye coordination. That worked against him early in the season as started pressing and making weak contact on pitches he should have let go, an area he improved upon at the end of the year. He has a flat swing path and good hitters' hands, putting a lot of balls in play with good plate coverage. Garcia has gap power now but with the leverage in his swing and physical projection in his broad-shouldered build, more power should be coming. Defensively, Garcia split time between shortstop and second base and earned widespread praise for his defense. A plus runner before he signed, Garcia has slowed down since then, but he has excellent defensive anticipation, body control and instincts, making several highlight grabs and glove-flip plays with quick reactions.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #91 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #61 prospect in 2019

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia, whose father Luis played in the majors, was born in New York and moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 3. He grew into one of the top international prospects for his age and signed for $1.3 million in 2016. After hitting nearly .300 at both Class A levels in 2018, Garcia struggled to handle a tough assignment at Double-A. He did hit .278 in August and he also hit .276/.345/.382 in an impressive stint in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia was a teenager in a man’s league in 2019, but he never wavered. He has solid bat-to-ball skills but needs to improve his strikezone knowledge and connect his upper and lower half in his swing. He shows hints of fringe-average power but the lefthanded batter primarily is a contact hitter. Garcia makes all the plays at shortstop laterally with a precise internal clock. His plus, accurate arm gives him the chance to be a plus shortstop. Garcia is an above-average runner now but will likely slow down to average as he becomes older and more physical.
  
  THE FUTURE: Even if Garcia returns to the Eastern League in 2020, he would be one of the youngest players on the field each night. He’ll get another crack at Double-A in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Garcia, whose father Luis played in the majors, was born in New York and moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 3. He grew into one of the top international prospects for his age and signed for $1.3 million in 2016. After hitting nearly .300 at both Class A levels in 2018, Garcia struggled to handle a tough assignment at Double-A. He did hit .278 in August and he also hit .276/.345/.382 in an impressive stint in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Garcia was a teenager in a man's league in 2019, but he never wavered. He has solid bat-to-ball skills but needs to improve his strikezone knowledge and connect his upper and lower half in his swing. He shows hints of fringe-average power but the lefthanded batter primarily is a contact hitter. Garcia makes all the plays at shortstop laterally with a precise internal clock. His plus, accurate arm gives him the chance to be a plus shortstop. Garcia is an above-average runner now but will likely slow down to average as he becomes older and more physical.
  
  THE FUTURE: Even if Garcia returns to the Eastern League in 2020, he would be one of the youngest players on the field each night. He'll get another crack at Double-A in 2020.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Garcia was the only teenager to appear in over 100 games in the Eastern League this season. The 19-year old didn't put up gaudy numbers, but allowances must be made for him being younger than the average low Class A South Atlantic League player. June was his best month of the season, as he hit .312/.333/.385 with seven extra-base hits in 25 games. Garcia has shown good actions at shortstop with a plus arm and plays with energy. The biggest concern is his lower half, which evaluators think might get too thick for him to stay up the middle. His bat lags behind his defense, but he profiles as contact-over-power hitter with plus bat speed. Garcia profiles as a fringe-average runner. Considering his youth and feel for the game, his stat line doesn't do him justice. Garcia still profiles as an everyday big leaguer.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Garcia began his first full pro season as a 17-year-old playing in 40-degree weather for the first time in his life. After struggling in April, he heated up with the weather and slashed .341/.371/.483 from May 1 to July 3 to earn a promotion to the Carolina League. Garcia has split his time between shortstop to familiarize himself with second and third base, but the team still sees him as a capable shortstop down the line.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Nationals busted their international bonus pool in 2016 by signing three of the top 15 prospects in the class. Garcia, whose father Luis Garcia reached the big leagues in 1999 with the Tigers, was the No. 3 prospect in the class and headlined Washington's haul, though his bonus of $1.3 million was not the largest the Nationals handed out in 2016. Scouting Report: Garcia has impressive all-around tools and evolved as a prospect in the year leading up to his signing. He has good bat-to-ball skills and a simple lefthanded swing that is geared for hitting line drives. He makes loud contact and shows signs that he will develop more power as he physically matures. He is an excellent athlete with well above-average speed. Garcia has above-average arm strength and good hands, giving scouts reason to believe he will be able to stay at shortstop. He will need to improve his infield actions, but even if he does move, his tools will play well at second base or in center field. The Future: Garcia is far from a finished product but earns praise for his baseball IQ and work ethic. Those traits will serve him well as he tries to become a big leaguer like his father. He will likely begin his pro career in the Dominican Summer League.