Cuban infielder/outfielder Yosvani Garcia held a showcase for interested clubs in the Dominican Republic yesterday, and 20 Major League clubs were represented, MLBTR has learned. Four teams from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball were present to watch the 26-year-old Garcia as well.
Garcia’s best tool is his speed, and he checked in at a 6.3 and 6.22 on his 60-yard dash in Santo Domingo yesterday. Major League Baseball declared Garcia a free agent earlier this month, and his age and experience make him exempt from the league’s international spending limitations.
In parts of five seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, Garcia batted .280/.375/.352, showing little power to accompany his speed but a contact-oriented approach (14.8 K%) and a respectable eye at the plate (9.3 BB%). While his skill set differs from the ones that netted Jose Abreu, Yasmany Tomas, Yasiel Puig and Rusney Castillo their hefty paydays, recent contracts for outfielders with lesser power indicate that Garcia could still take home notable money. Daniel Carbonell received a $3.5MM guarantee when signing with the Giants last year, and this past offseason, Dian Toscano received a four-year, $6MM contract from the Braves. Garcia is being represented by agent Christopher Fanta of Pro Talent Sports Group.
In 2009 he stole 3 bases. He was caught stealing 16 times. That’s bad enough. He also has never shown that he can steal more than 8 bases in Cuba. If baserunning is his best skillset, I don’t see him signing. He may be fast, but when you can’t use the speed wisely in games what is the point?
And in his last noted season in Cuba, 2012, he hit .230. He seems to be declining and he’s only 26.
Cuban SB stats are notoriously unreliable. It’s a point of pride there to run at will and no one looks down upon getting caught most of the time.
even Carbonell at $3.5MM was a severe overpay considering how overmatched he was in Spring Training and now in AA
How is he an overpay? The guy had very limited at bats in Spring Training against guys already set with major league spots or competing for major league spots. You expected him to blow through the gates right away?
He plays 2nd and the outfield. Has a contact oriented approach and gets on base at a solid clip. He seems like a perfect fit for the Angels.