Maikel García

Maikel José García

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut July 15, 2022

• Born March 3, 2000 in La Sabana, Vargas Venezuela

BR page

Biographical Information

Third baseman Maikel Garcia was signed by the Kansas City Royals as an international amateur free agent from Venezuela on July 27, 2016. He started his professional career the following year and made it to both AA and AAA for the first time in 2022, when he hit .285 with 11 homers and 61 RBIs in 118 games. It was that same season that he reached the majors, doing so on July 15th and hitting .318 in 9 games.

He became a major league regular in 2023 when he hit .272 in 123 games, with 4 homers and 50 RBIs. His OPS+ was 86. In 2024, his home run total went up, to 7 in 157 games, but both his batting average (.231) and OPS+ (75) went down. The Royals made it back to the postseason after a decade's absence that year and he hit well in the two series the team played, going a combined 7 for 22 (.318). Still there was some question about whether the Royals needed to upgrade at his position, given his mediocre production. He responded with a break-out season in 2025, when he made the All-Star team and hit .286 in 160 games. His power went up significantly, with 39 doubles and 16 homers, he drove in 74 runs, and his OPS+ climbed to 123. He also won a Gold Glove at third base. He was no longer dragging down the team's offensive production, although the Royals fell short of the postseason.

Before the 2026 season, he signed a five-year extension to stay in Kansas City, with an option for a sixth year. The deal guaranteed him a minimum of $57.5 million and its value could climb to $85 million. He was named to the Venezuelan national team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic and ended up being selected the tournament MVP, after hitting .385 with 1 homer and 7 RBIs as Venezuela was the surprise winner of the tournament. He beat out much more famous teammates like Salvador Pérez, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Luis Arráez for the honor.

Notable Achievements

• AL All-Star (2025)
• AL Gold Glove Winner (2025)

Further Reading

• Michael Clair: "Maikel Garcia bursts onto world stage with Classic MVP Award", mlb.com, March 18, 2026. [1]
• Anne Rogers: "Maikel, Royals agree to 5-year extension with option for 2031", mlb.com, December 12, 2025. [2]
• Anne Rogers: "5-year extension with Royals culmination of Garcia's growth", mlb.com, December 17, 2025. [3]

Related Sites

• Maikel Garcia on mlb.com