Mariners Prospects: Funky delivery, filthy stuff from a Mariners' lefty
Lefty Brandyn Garcia is having a breakout season across two levels of the farm system. Could he be the next rotation piece?
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The next wave of quality arms got a boost this week, with the Mariners recently moving MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospect Logan Evans back to the starting rotation. The question was always, who could join Evans in Seattle's staff in the future? Brandyn Garcia might emerge as a promising option, sparking hope for the Mariners' pitching staff, which would significantly develop this team's future.
Brandyn Garcia is climbing the Mariners farm system
The Mariners selected Garcia in the 11th round of the 2023 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, and he quickly acclimated to professional baseball with a solid season. The lefty reliever appeared in nine games across two levels, holding opposing batters to a .236 average. While he filled a situational LOGGY role for the California League champion Modesto Nuts admirably, the Mariners saw unique traits in him and envisioned a successful transition to a starter this season.
This season, Garcia was a revelation for the Everett Aquasox, routinely spinning gems thanks to a funky delivery and wipe-out offspeed stuff. He made 14 starts in the Northwest League, going 6-0 and striking out 85 batters in only 68 1/3 innings. While those numbers sound like Garcia dominated High-A, remember that he's 24 years old, which is a little long in the tooth compared to most of the league. His recent promotion to Arkansas is among the many second-half storylines to watch.
WELCOME TO THE ROCK, BRANDYN GARCIA 🌟
— Arkansas Travelers (@ARTravs) July 2, 2024
Final line of his AA debut:
5.0 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 8 K pic.twitter.com/t0kPqoFFYa
Watching the 6' 4" Garcia use his extension and offspeed in the Texas League will be telling. If he doesn't miss a beat with the Travelers, we could see a Logan Gilbert - George Kirby situation with Logan Evans and Garcia. Evans is on the fast track to the majors and, in some circles, has surpassed former first-round pick Emerson Hancock due to the put-away pitches in his report. Garcia could follow Evans' blueprint and be in the big leagues next season as a number five starter or a swingman a la Austin Voth.
Either way, it's exciting times down on the farm with plenty of arms on the way, including Garcia, a crafty lefty with a bit of upside.