Emmanuel Garcia Stats & Scouting Report

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Full name Emmanuel Garcia
Born 03/04/1986 in Montreal, QC, Canada
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School College Ahuntsic

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Garcia, whose father was a professional tennis player from Spain before settling in Canada, didn't get drafted because of the visa shortage baseball experienced post-9/11, but he has made up for lost time and has developed into one of the Mets' most reliable middle-infield options. He made Top 20 Prospects lists in both the Gulf Coast and Appalachian leagues in his first two years, and was productive in his full-season debut in 2007 after jumping a level to high Class A. After the season, he batted .348 in Hawaii Winter Baseball before joining Team Canada for the World Cup in Taiwan. Garcia has no home run power, but he can go gap to gap and uses the whole field. He isn't afraid to draw a walk, hit behind a runner or lay down a bunt, and he's improving his ability to make contact. He has plus speed and is a solid baserunner who's getting better in that aspect of the game, a crucial aspect of his development. Defensively, Garcia makes the routine plays at shortstop and has average tools, but he's probably better suited to second base, where he saw more time last season. The Mets love his energy, and his overall profile screams utility infielder. He's ticketed to start at shortstop in Double-A in 2008.
A Montreal native born to an Italian father and Spanish mother who played professional tennis, Garcia went undrafted in 2004 when baseball had a shortage of visas for minor league players. Because of his relative lack of baseball experience, Garcia was sent to extended spring training and then Kingsport last year despite a promising debut in 2005. Garcia is a tick above average across the board--with the exception of his power--and one of the best all-around athletes in the system. He has a mature approach at the plate with excellent bat control that allows him to work deep counts and thrive at the top of the order. His speed and instincts make him a pest on the basepaths. Garcia responds well to instruction and has impressed the Mets with his steady improvement. There were questions about his ability to stay at shortstop, but he showed enough there in 2006 that he'll remain there for the time being, though his arm might not be good enough for him to be a regular there. He'll get his first crack at full-season ball as the regular shortstop at the Mets' new low Class A Savannah affiliate in 2007.
A Canadian high school product, Garcia went undrafted in 2004 when baseball went through a shortage of work visas for minor league players. He signed with the Mets as a non-drafted free agent and impressed them with his improvement during his pro debut last year. He led the Gulf Coast League in runs, hits and on-base percentage while finishing third in hitting. While his ceiling isn't particularly high, Garcia has a mature approach to the game. He controls the strike zone and is a good situational hitter. He has plus speed and good instincts on the bases, succeeding on 17 of his 18 steal attempts in the GCL. Some scouts doubt he has the arm to stick at short, but the Mets still believe Garcia can, citing his soft hands and quick feet. The Mets have a glut of middle infielders at the lower levels, so it's uncertain where he'll play this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

Born in Montreal, Garcia went undrafted in 2004 because of baseball shortage of work visas. The Mets signed him as a free agent that winter and he made his pro debut by leading the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in hits, runs and on-base percentage last year. He continued to impress in 2006, showing a complete package at shortstop. Garcia's above-average speed might be his best tool, as he finished third in the league with 19 stolen bases, with his bat is a close second. Managers were uniformly impressed with his actions, range and body control at shortstop, but his arm is slightly below-average for the position.
Passed over in the 2004 draft when a visa embargo sent the draft stock of Canadians plummeting, Garcia signed with the Mets after the season. He surprised the Mets in spring training and followed with breakout summer for a team that posted the GCL's best regular-season record. He led the league in runs, hits and on-base percentage while using his above-average speed to steal 17 bases in 18 attempts. Garcia demonstrated offensive potential with an ability to bunt and put the ball in play, along with a good two-strike approach. Defensively, he showed exceptionally quick feet and sure hands, excelling on balls in the hole because of a rare ability to get in position quickly to unload the ball. His arm strength is a bit short for shortstop, so he could end up at second base down the road.