Yankees Prospect Profile Number 5: Wilkerman Garcia

As we continue along with the Yanks Go Yard Prospect Profile series, we move down the MLB pipeline to the 5th-ranked prospect for the New York Yankees, Wilkerman Garcia.

Seen by many scouts as the crown jewel of New York’s 2014-2015 international spending spree, Wilkerman Garcia has earned rave reviews in his brief stint in the Yankees system. Garcia was ranked as the seventh best available international prospect by Baseball America when he signed with the Yankees for $1.35 million as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela.

The team demonstrated their faith in the switch-hitting shortstop in 2015 by assigning him to the Gulf Coast League at just 17. He responded with a solid .281/.396/.347 batting line in 150 plate appearances, demonstrating a polished approach and strong knowledge of the strike zone. Garcia has plus contact skills from both sides of the plate and evaluators praise his ability to spray line drives to all fields. Listed at a slight 6’0 and 176 lbs, Garcia is expected to add more power to his game as he matures.

Although he was initially seen by many scouts as a better fit at second or third base, Garcia has worked hard at his defense at shortstop, and that is where New York sees him long term. His explosive speed and strong arm are major assets at the position, although like most 18 year olds, he is still rough around the edges and needs more professional experience to develop in the field. He made 12 errors in 271.1 innings at short in 2015, but reportedly made strides to refine his game as the season progressed.

At the end of spring training, Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reported that Garcia had been dealing with soreness in his right shoulder during March, and there was no timetable for his return. Garcia had been ticketed for one of New York’s Short Season-A clubs, likely Pulaski or Staten Island, so as of yet he hasn’t missed any game time. With little information about the injury made public and the 18-year-old currently in extended spring training, fans will probably have to wait until mid-June before an update on the phenom’s 2016 status.
Despite being many years away from impacting the big league club, the hype surrounding Wilkerman Garcia has already begun to build. With the potential to be a true five tool player who can impact the game on both sides of the ball, don’t be surprised if Garcia claims the top spot on this list in the next season or two.

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As we continue along with the Yanks Go Yard Prospect Profile series, we move down the MLB pipeline to the 5th-ranked prospect for the New York Yankees, Wilkerman Garcia.

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