This season was Luis Garcia Jr’s last chance to establish himself as a part of the future with the Washington Nationals. The young second baseman had yet to establish himself as a productive big leaguer despite being given plenty of opportunities. In spring training, it looked like a matter of time before Trey Lipscomb took Garcia’s job. However, the switch has flipped and Garcia is now the hottest bat in the Nationals lineup.
LUISSSSSSS
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— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 3, 2024
Luis Garcia Jr. Turning a Corner for Nationals
The Clock Was Ticking
Following a tumultuous 2023 season which saw Garcia demoted to Triple-A Rochester, his grasp on the starting second base job was tenuous. Neither manager Dave Martinez nor GM Mike Rizzo were confident in Garcia Jr., with both showing public frustration over his mental mistakes. The heat on Garcia only heated up after prospect Trey Lipscomb lit up spring camp, hitting .400. Martinez was glowing in his assessment of Lipscomb, highlighting the youngster’s understanding of the game.
If Garcia Jr. did not get off to a hot start, his job was in jeopardy. He did just that, hitting over .300 in April, and providing the Nationals some huge moments early in the season. He was one of the biggest positives for an offense that often struggled otherwise. However, his production tailed off in June, with Garcia posting a paltry .593 OPS. Since this slump, though, Garcia has been on another level, hitting .333 with a .948 OPS in July, and has been nearly impossible to get out in August. Luis Garcia Jr. now sports a .290 batting average and a .783 OPS with 13 home runs and 18 steals. Despite these excellent numbers, Garcia is still underperforming his expected stats. His .336 wOBA is 13 points lower than his .349 xwOBA.
Not Just a Hitting Breakout
Ever since his prospect days, and even during his big league struggles, it was clear that Luis Garcia Jr. had the potential to be a quality hitter. He had shown flashes of elite contact ability paired with solid power, but had not put it all together yet. However, his defensive outlook was much bleaker. Prior to this season, Garcia Jr. had always been a major negative on defense, both at second base and shortstop. This season has been a different story, with Garcia posting 3 outs above average. He has cut down on mental mistakes and has shown off impressive range. He is getting to balls he simply would not have gotten to in the past.
The Future of Garcia Jr.
Despite making his debut in 2020, Garcia Jr. is still just 24 years old. A big contributor to his slow development is likely the fact he was rushed to MLB. He was 20 years old when he was called up and coming off a season where he had struggled in Double-A. Despite this, Garcia Jr. was thrown into the fire and forced to either sink or swim. Even with a few years of big-league experience, Garcia is still a young player. For most players, breaking out at 24 years old would not be considered a late breakout. But given his relative experience, it is in the case of Garcia.
The second baseman’s emergence this season has been a big plus for him and the Nats, but there are still areas to grow. His biggest weakness right now is left-handed pitching. He has struggled against southpaws, posting a .611 OPS against them. Lately, Davey Martinez has platooned Garcia, playing veteran Ildemaro Vargas against left-handers. Even if it would hurt his numbers, giving Garcia Jr. at-bats against lefties down the stretch would be helpful for his development. With the Nationals out of the playoff race, it would give Garcia low-stress reps and the ability to try some adjustments. This has been a big season for Luis Garcia Jr. and he has finally established himself as the Nationals’ second baseman of the future.
Photo Credit: © Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports
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