The Tigers and infielder Greg Garcia are in agreement on a minor league pact, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. The Meister Sports client will be invited to Major League Spring Training and compete for a roster spot.
Garcia, 31, has spent the bulk of his career as a utility player with the Cardinals, though he was with the Padres in 2020. That pairing didn’t pan out for either party, as Garcia stumbled with a .200/.279/.250 batting line in 71 plate appearances over the course of 35 games. A year prior, however, he logged a career-high 372 plate appearances and batted .248/.364/.354 with St. Louis.
The left-handed-hitting Garcia carries a career .245/.354/.339 batting line in 1303 plate appearances, and while his OBP has perhaps benefited at times from batting eighth in front of a pitcher in the National League, it’s worth noting that he boasts a strong walk rate at virtually every lineup position in which he’s been placed (including a 13.7 percent mark in 327 plate appearances as a leadoff man). Garcia has experience at second base, shortstop and third base, in addition to brief cameos at first and in left field.
The Tigers re-signed Jonathan Schoop to a one-year deal over the weekend, adding him to an infield mix that also includes Willi Castro, Niko Goodrum and Isaac Paredes. Garcia will compete for a backup spot in camp, but Goodrum’s versatility and the youthful pairing of Paredes and Castro could impede his chances.
“I get logins for Netflix from my cousin Greg
Thanks Greg!”
Dude, stop.
Greg was with the Padres in ‘19 when he hit .248
Thank you for such specific, useless information lol
It isn’t “useless information” as the article says Garcia was a Cardinal in 2019.
Sure it’s not the biggest deal in the world, but the article does incorrectly state he was with the Cards in 2019 so I think it’s a valid correction…
@bravesfan
Greg Garcia is a San Diego native and was a fan favorite out here. He will probably get more playing time if he sticks in Detroit. With the emergence of Jake Cronenworth last year, he sort of lost his job with the Padres.
I am also a Padres fan. The Padres are loaded and have a ton of guys who can play multiple positions. With this, no DH, and a 26 man roster, I was and am thinking that perhaps the Padres could carry a full-time pinch hitter, like Mike Sweeney used to do. They might still do that. But Garcia can play all around the infield, so it is probably wasteful to use him in that role.
Organization fodder, nothing more, but there will be some fans who are angry about this signing because he wasn’t some great FA they wanted the Tigers to sign.
Tigers just don’t seem ready to give any of their kids the reins at 2nd, SS or even 3rd. Garcia has some ML value. I’m guessing the Tigers might give Schoop some time at 1B (see Detroit Free Press today).
Infield options of Candelario, Garcia, Schoop, Goodrum, W. Castro, Paredes, H. Castro (one of my favs) and even Cabrera.
Is Cody Clemens ever going to make it?
Candelario, W Castro, and Paredes are the ‘kids’ and they played 1B, SS, & 3B last year and are tabbed as starters this year, assuming Candy starts at 1B. Would be nice to see Clemens, but he has to hit consistently before he comes up.
Kody
If you think signing Garcia to a minor league contract is going to block any of those guys then you obviously don’t understand how front offices work.
“Garcia’s 2020 with San Diego did not work out for either party as Garcia hit poorly in sparse playing time.”
It seems that a player’s deal will either work out for both the team and player or neither.
I suppose if Garcia played poorly but imparted wisdom to other players then his year could benefit the team but not his own career.
Paid a lot of guaranteed money, poor performance = player wins
Paid little & dominate on the field/mound = team wins
It’s contextual
He can be a useful player in the right situation, but this might not be the right situation. The Tigers seem to have younger, cheaper guys who have similar skill sets… please correct me if I’m wrong about that, I don’t claim to be a Tigers expert.
You are correct. He only makes the team via injury or if one of the younger players can’t hit and needs time in the minors.
Depth signing. Tigers seem to have a lot of injuries every year.
Reminds me of the Pete Kozma signing. Garcia will be assigned to Toledo after spring training and be available as “Major League” insurance in the event of an injury. 3rd base is Parades’ job to lose in spring training and my hope is he hits like he did in winter league this year.
Maybe I’m nitpicking here but if he got paid then didn’t it work out at least “good” for him? Hard to say it didn’t work out for him?
Garcia didn’t get many reps at the plate last season. When the 2020 season began, the Padres had a hole at second base that Jake Cronenworth promptly filled (after a brief experimet with Jurickson Profar). Garcia was the odd man out and non-tendered after the season.
Dr, a large a Pads fan since the late 80’s, former season ticket holder, watching all games on MLB, I know the information that you share and don’t disagree and predicted he would be non tendered. My user name was created after pads clinched a playoff spot. Your reply doesn’t do anything to change my post – he showed up to work, he got paid, good result for him. A great result may have included more playing time ala 2019 with better stats to help him in 2021. Good still though.
Yeah I agree, but where do you play the guy? They weren’t going to to sit Cronenworth down the way he was playing, especially earlier in the season..
You don’t play him – like I said, I predicted a non tender. All I’m saying is for him, he signed a contract for a sum of money. He got the money so while he could have wished for more result, the contract itself was not bad for him. Work equals paid. The fact that he didn’t play more didn’t have anything to do with his contract last year so, it (the contract) worked ok for him. I’m only challenging the poster saying it didn’t work out for him because I say he got what he bargained for as they say – paid agreed upon sum for showing up to work and trying (yeah I know the pro-rated Covid thing, but that isn’t the point).
Good for Greg, might be able to stick always thought he was clutch as a pinch hitter and a victim of the universal DH. Don’t know how he fits having to learn a new league but wish him well.
Was hoping SD would get him back on a MiLB deal. Good luck to him!
If I remember correctly he had a hit by pitch walk off with the cardinals in his debut lol
At least we’re signing a lot of players. The more signings (e.g., Nunez), the more chances of the next JDM. Hopefully the cream rises to the top.
Nothin wrong with some injury insurance and minor league depth