Willy Garcia Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

AB	105
AVG	.238
OBP	.305
SLG	.4
HR	2

Full name Willy Camilo García
Born 09/04/1992 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 04/14/2017

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Pirates gave Garcia a $280,000 signing bonus in 2010, the second largest in their international class that year after the $2.6 million given to Mexican righthander Luis Heredia. While neither player has reached the major leagues, Garcia has at least advanced to Triple-A while Heredia has yet to make it out of Class A. Garcia has light-tower power and a cannon for arm, but he has yet put it all together throughseven professional seasons. While Garcia hits the ball as far as anyone during batting practice, his lack of plate discipline continues to sabotage his power once games begin. His arm plays well in right field, but he is going to have to hit more consistently to have a chance to be a major leaguer. Ordinary range also keeps him from being a premier defender and poor instincts on the bases offset above-average speed. If Garcia could ever translate raw ability into production, he would have a chance to be an effective major league regular, but at this point is realistically a power bat off the bench. He will keep working at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2017.
The Pirates have had high hopes for Garcia ever since signing him for $280,000 in April 2010, and he is one of the more toosly players in the organization. He has plus raw power and an outstanding throwing arm, with many scouts ranking it as one of the best in the minors. He recorded 18 assists in 2015 and 19 the year before. Garcia still is in the process of refining those tools. He is prone to getting himself out by chasing outside the zone, and his long swing can result in impressive home runs but also many strikeouts. His incredible arm makes him a natural in right field, and his above-average speed and range make him capable in center field. Left field could be his position in the big leagues, however, because PNC Park plays bigger in left than right. Garcia will begin 2016 back at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he finished 2015, and he could be a line for a big league callup later in the season if he continues to improve his deficiencies. If he can improve his plate discipline, Garcia has the power to profile as a run-producing corner outfielder. Garcia is also an above-average runner.
Signed for $280,000 from the Dominican Republic in 2010, Garcia has two tools that stand out. The most notable one is a sniper rifle of an arm that enabled the right fielder to lead the Double-A Eastern League with 19 assists in 2014. The other is plus power potential. Garcia's swing is entirely geared towards driving the ball out of the park, with a big load and significant weight transfer to coil himself before taking a big cut. It leads to massive home runs when he connects, but it also makes it hard for him to make consistent contact or to go the other way with an outside pitch. He projects as a below-average hitter with frightening strikeout rates. He fanned 30 percent of the time at Double-A Altoona in 2014. Garcia also needs to shore up his route running in the outfield. He is not a burner, but he's an average runner who can get the occasional steal. The Pirates added Garcia to the 40-man roster in November, and he will begin 2015 at Triple-A Indianapolis.
The Pirates signed Garcia from the Dominican Republic for $280,000 in April 2010, a few months prior to signing Mexican righthander Luis Heredia for $2.6 million. Garcia has plenty of tools, the loudest of which is power. He hit a combined 34 home runs during his first two years in full-season ball, including 16 in the pitcher-friendly high Class A Florida State League in 2013 at age 20. He also has good range for a corner outfielder and a strong arm--he logged 20 assists in 2013--that will play in right. He's a tick-above-average runner, though he needs to improve his stolen-base efficiency. What has kept Garcia from blossoming into a frontline prospect is his complete lack of plate discipline--he takes a swing-first mentality that hasn't changed in three seasons in the U.S. He will begin 2014 at Double-A Altoona, the level where many free-swingers begin to be exploited by advanced pitchers.
The Pirates were excited to sign Garcia as an international amateur free agent in 2010, though he was overshadowed by the signing of Mexican righthander Luis Heredia for $2.6 million. Garcia remains raw but he led the system with 18 homers in 2012, when he got his first taste of full-season ball as a teenager in low Class A. He has above-average pull power and the strength to hit the ball hard the other way. To hit for average, he'll need to tone down an uppercut swing, a tendency to pull everything and an overly aggressive approach. Garcia has average speed and is still learning how to run the bases and play the outfield corners. He recorded 12 outfield assists last year and has enough arm strength to handle right field. Garcia is just 20, so the Pirates are considering having him repeat low Class A, fearing that more advanced pitchers might exploit his free-swinging ways and damage his confidence. He has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order hitter in the major leagues, but he's too unpolished to count on him reaching that ceiling right now.

Minor League Top Prospects

Garcia is just the type of player fans can dream on. Young for the EL and armed with boundless tools, he needs but time, repetition and patience to turn those tools into verifiable skills. The most prominent among Garcia's tools is his arm, which rates as possibly an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale and helped him throw out a league-best 19 runners. At the plate, Garcia has a crude approach, but his big righthanded swing produces plenty of power. Using a strong, uppercut stroke, he tied his career high with 18 home runs, and he's capable of taking the ball out to any field. Garcia improved his productivity in the second half, batting .314/.361/.497 in 43 games. Garcia profiles as at least an average defensive right fielder with a cannon for an arm. Beyond that, he anticipates well, gets good jumps and takes solid routes to the ball.

Best Tools List

Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Eastern League in 2014
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013

Career Transactions

LF Willy García assigned to Charleston Dirty Birds.

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