Robert Garcia

Robert Christopher Garcia

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 6' 4", Weight 225 lb.
• School University of California, Davis
• High School Modesto Christian High School
• Debut July 14, 2023

• Born June 14, 1996 in Manteca, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Robert Garcia was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 15th round of the 2017 amateur draft out of the University of California, Davis. He did not do anything to stand out in the minor leagues in a Royals system teeming with pitching prospects. He was still in High A when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and forced him to sit out the 2020 season when the minor leagues were shut down, then in 2021 he went 4-3, 5.63 as a reliever for the AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He briefly retired from baseball at that point and started working at a desk job, but following that season, the Miami Marlins selected him in the minor league portion of the 2021 Rule V Draft and asked him to reconsider his decision. He did, and did not regret it.

Garcia reached AAA in his first season in the Marlins system, when he went 1-5, 3.75 with 7 saves in 46 outings between the AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos and AAA Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He started 2023 in Jacksonville where he pitched well, going 2-0, 2.85 with 2 saves in 31 games. he was called up to Miami to make his debut on July 14th but he only faced three batters in a relief outing against the Baltimore Orioles, recording one out, walking one batter and giving up a single to Anthony Santander before being replaced by Bryan Hoeing who induced a double play to strand both of the runners he had put on base. It turned out to be his only presence in a Marlins uniform, as on August 1st, he was claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals. That turned out to be a good break for him, as he spent the rest of the season in the nation's capital, pitching 24 times with a record of 2-2, 3.69 and logging 31 2/3 innings.

In 2024, he spent a full season in Washington, pitching 72 times out of the bullpen and going 3-6, 4.22. He pitched 59 2/3 innings, as he was often used in a LOOGY role, and struck out 75 batters while walking only 15. Following the season, on December 22nd, he was traded to the Texas Rangers straight up for starting first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who had been an above-average hitter for all four of his seasons with Texas. That was quite a contrast from the two previous transactions in which his name had appeared. As indicated by how much they gave up to acquire him, the Rangers were looking for him to play a key role in their bullpen in 2025.

Further Reading

• Kennedi Landry: "From 9-to-5 to the 9th? Garcia ditches desk job in battle to be Rangers' closer", mlb.com, March 3, 2025. [1]

Related Sites

• Robert Garcia on mlb.com
• UC Davis bio