VIDEO: 20-Year-Old Yankees Stud Deivi Garcia Dominates Futures Game Then Gets Promoted to Triple-A
By Adam Weinrib
In case the whole world wasn't yet acquainted with Deivi Garcia, they just got a prime introduction to Lil' Pedro at the very start of the MLB Futures Game. Selected to start for the AL team, he went scoreless in the first inning of work, freezing Braves super-prospect Cristian Pache on a fastball on the black.
#FuturesGame SP for the American League, Deivi García, #Yankees, gets Cristian Pache looking on FB 96 for a leadoff K. pic.twitter.com/rw53Ui00hB
— Ben Wilson (@TBDubbs11) July 7, 2019
Though he's diminutive (hence the Pedro comparisons, goaded on by the fact that he watches footage of the Red Sox legend before every start), the velocity and sharp breaking curveball will certainly play if harnessed at the next level.
A strikeout and two popups in what will likely be Deivi Garcia's only inning of the afternoon. (Justin Dunn is already warming for the AL.) A lot of focus on the 5-foot-9 height, but this velo will work. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/CuFoDDsJB9
— Sam Dykstra (@SamDykstraMiLB) July 7, 2019
The kid looks...GOOD.
Congratulations to Deivi Garcia!
— Joe Randazzo (Bronx Pinstripes writer) (@deflategator) July 7, 2019
He had a scoreless inning in the Future’s Game and just got called up to AAA! See you this summer, our next future ROTY candidate! pic.twitter.com/OMM8wjxN8N
Luckily for all of us, it turns out we're about to learn a bit more about Garcia at a higher level -- he's heading to Triple-A as soon as he's done with the festivities in Cleveland!
After starting tonight’s All-Star Futures game for the AL, RHP Deivi Garcia will be taking a plane back to Scranton instead of Trenton. pic.twitter.com/QwU34n2oGY
— NYYPlayerDev (@NYYPlayerDev) July 7, 2019
Garcia started off 2019 by rocking Single-A Tampa in four starts, whiffing 33 batters in 17.2 innings pitched, before taking things to the next level in Trenton (81 K's in 51 innings, including nine in the first portion of a combined no-hitter).
Now, he's just one step away from contributing in the Bronx down the stretch. Life happens fast.