The Phillies have agreed to sign Venezuelan center fielder Yhoswar Garcia, Baseball America’s Ben Badler reports (Twitter link). The Phils have been linked to Garcia for over a year, and are reportedly set to sign the 18-year-old to a bonus worth roughly $2.5MM.
Many of the top names in the 2019-20 international class were unofficially off the board since well before the signing window opened last July 2, though Garcia’s deal has only now been finalized because he only recently become eligible. As Badler explained in December, there was an age-related holdup since Garcia initially presented a birthdate that indicated he was a year younger than his actual age. The issue ended up being a delay rather than an obstacle, however, and Garcia will now join Philadelphia’s organization as planned.
Known as “The Drone,” Garcia backs up that MLB-ready nickname with “plus-plus speed in center field,” Badler writes. Garcia is 6’1″ and a relatively thin 155 pounds, though MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez figures Garcia to gain more weight as he gets older and subsequently adds power to some already-intriguing hitting ability. Garcia “shows good instincts and is a gap hitter,” according to Sanchez, who also feels Garcia has a lot of defensive promise as a center fielder with a good throwing arm.
Juan Pierre in 2020
as a Phillies fan i shudder to hear of such a comparison. hoping for prime Pierre.
JP is one of the most underappreciated players in MLB history.
i will give him some credit there, i never gave him enough having only seen him in Philly at the very end of his career. he really did put up crazy numbers in the years before though.
I don’t think he meant Juan Pierre actually in 2020… Pierre has been retired for years… he meant that this kid is the 2020 version is Juan Pierre (in his prime included…) a “2020 version” of Pierre would kind of be an impossible comparison to make seeing as he’s now a 40-something year old retired baseball player haha
no i meant when he was in Philly in 2012. he was fairly washed up at that point.
The next 5 tool guy? If so the first im hearing of him
Sounds like he may be closer to 4-tools as 155lbs definitely doesn’t seem to lend itself to much power. Granted he is only 18 and is apparently 6’1″ (though 6’1″ 155 doesn’t exactly seem even possible — you’d be a stick figure if you were really that tall and only weighed 155) but anyway maybe he will develop more power as he matures — but the current scouting reports seem to indicate he’s more of a gap hitter than power threat. From what I’ve read though he definitely sounds like an intriguing prospect – and someone who’s already advanced defensively for his age.
I’m 6’2″ and weight 150 so it’s possible. We skinny guys get on fine too!
Reminds me of a couple of days ago when I was looking at clothes online.One site mentioned that a model wearing an outfit was 6’2″ and wearing a size medium.I thought “How can he be 6’2″ and wear a medium?How large is that medium?”.The guy didn’t look that thin.
Aaron was 6’ 180 lbs. Let’s see how this kid looks in 2 years
What a name!
It sounds like I just read the prospect evaluation of Ranger’s prospect Leody Taveras.
Yhoswar sounds like a new Baseball stat…
Yes it does
Pretty solid pickup by the Phillies. With that speed and instinct he could be a potential gold glove caliber CFer
His brother Alfredo was even better until he lost his head….
Great flick. Sweet reference.
Is that you Mr. Garcia?
Nothing some roids and PEDs can’t fix.
Shut up.
Carlos Tocci 2.0?
gosh i hope not. Tocci really wasn’t even that good at his “strengths.” as much as this guy may have little power, any power would be more than Tocci had.
Well, at least it’s not all bad news