Édgar Ernesto García (born October 4, 1996) is a Dominican

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

. He made his

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) debut with the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

in 2019 and has also played for the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

, and

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

Professional career

Philadelphia Phillies

García was born in

Sabana Grande de Palenque Sabana Grande de Palenque is a municipality (''municipio'') of the San Cristóbal province in the Dominican Republic. History It was elevated to the category of municipal district of the San Cristóbal municipality on January 1, 1945 and to the ...

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...

. He worked out as a

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

for Phillies scouts initially in the Dominican Republic, but though his batting skills did not impress the scouts they liked his arm. He was signed as an international

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

as a pitcher by the

on May 29, 2014, for $30,000. He made his professional debut in 2014 with the DSL Phillies, going 2–0 with a 2.10 ERA in 25.2 innings. García played for the

Gulf Coast Phillies The Florida Complex League Phillies are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Phillies. The team plays ...

in 2015, going 1–2 with a 3.31 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. García played for the

Lakewood BlueClaws The Jersey Shore BlueClaws (formerly Lakewood BlueClaws) are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Lakewood, New Jersey, and are named for their locat ...

in 2016, going 4–1 with a 2.80 ERA in 61 innings. He played for the

Clearwater Threshers The Clearwater Threshers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Clearwater, Florida, and have played their home games at BayCare Ballpark since 2 ...

in 2017, going 3–4 with a 4.47 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 88.2 innings.

2018–2020

In 2018, García split the season between the

Reading Fightin Phils The Reading Fightin Phils (also called the Reading Fightins) are a Minor League Baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Northeast Division of the Eastern League. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Re ...

and the

Lehigh Valley IronPigs The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and are named in reference to pig iron, used in the ...

, he was 7–2 with a 3.64 ERA, and 72 strikeouts in 64.1 innings. He was an Eastern League Mid-season All Star, was 4th in the league in appearances with 47, and among qualifying league relief pitchers he had the 4th-best opposing batting average, at .204, and the 5th-best SO/9.0 IP rate, at 10.26. He then pitched for

Estrellas Orientales Estrellas Orientales (English: Eastern Stars), also known as Estrellas de Oriente, is a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League. Based in San Pedro de Macorís, the team has historically struggled, winning championships only in 1936, 1954, 196 ...

of the

Dominican Winter League Dominican may refer to: * Someone or something from or related to the Dominican Republic ( , stress on the "mi"), on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean ** People of the Dominican Republic ** Demographics of the Domi ...

during the 2018 offseason. The Phillies added him to their

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...

after the 2018 season. He opened the 2019 season back with Lehigh Valley, and before García was called up he was 1–1 with a 1.65 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 16.1 innings. On May 6, he was called to the major league roster and made his major league debut that night. In 2019 with Lehigh Valley he was 2-1 with 8 saves and a 2.48 ERA in 25 relief appearances in 29.0 innings in which he struck out 38 batters (11.8 strikeouts per 9 innings). In 2019 with the Phillies he was 2-0 with a 5.77 ERA in 37 relief appearances in which he pitched 39.0 innings and struck out 45 batters (10.4 strikeouts per 9 innings). García was designated for assignment by Philadelphia on August 13, 2020.

Tampa Bay Rays

On August 16, 2020, García was traded to the

in exchange for Rodolfo Sanchez. He was called up by the Rays on August 23 after Nick Anderson was placed on the injured list. In 4 games with Tampa Bay, García struggled to a 10.80 ERA. On December 2, García was nontendered by the Rays.

Cincinnati Reds

On December 23, 2020, García signed a one-year, $600,000 major-league contract with the

. On April 1, 2021, García was designated for assignment after

Jonathan India Jonathan Joseph India (born December 15, 1996) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). India starred in baseball for American Heritage School. While playing for the Florida Gators, ...

was added to the 40-man roster. He was outrighted to the alternate training site on April 3, and was assigned to the Triple-A

Louisville Bats The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, win ...

to begin the year, where he pitched to a 3.38 ERA in 24 games. On July 19, García was selected to the active roster. In 5 appearances for the Reds, Garcia struggled to a 16.62 ERA with 4 strikeouts. On July 28, Garcia was designated for assignment by the Reds.

Minnesota Twins

On July 30, 2021, Garcia was claimed off of waivers by the

. On August 31, the Twins outrighted Garcia off of their 40-man roster and sent him outright to the Triple-A

St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They prev ...

. Garcia elected free agency on October 13. On April 20, 2022, García signed with the

Mariachis de Guadalajara The Mariachis de Guadalajara (English: Guadalajara Mariachis) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Zapopan, Jalisco. Their home ballpark is Estadio Panamericano, and has a capacity of 16,500 people. The Mariachis were e ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. However, he was released on April 27, 2022, without having made an appearance for the club.

Washington Nationals

On June 6, 2022, García signed a minor league contract with the

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

organization.

Pitching Style

García is known for an excellent 87 mph

slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * ''The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * Sliders (TV series), ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy t ...

that has hard, downward action and generates more whiffs/swing compared to other pitchers' sliders.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:García, Édgar 1996 births Living people Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic Major League Baseball pitchers Philadelphia Phillies players Tampa Bay Rays players Cincinnati Reds players Minnesota Twins players Dominican Summer League Phillies players Florida Complex League Phillies players Lakewood BlueClaws players Clearwater Threshers players Reading Fightin Phils players Lehigh Valley IronPigs players Estrellas Orientales players