MLB rumors: 5 prospects who can help Rockies in 2019
By Nick Villano
Rico Garcia
Rico Garcia comes into the season as the Rockies 21st-ranked prospect. That doesn’t feel like the spot where a player can have a significant impact on the Major League team, but Garcia has been playing very well this season.
Garcia is spending his first season starting in AA. He’s been phenomenal. He has a 2.13 ERA over 10 starts. Hitters are hitting under .200 against him this season. He’s pitching about seven strikeouts per outing, and well over one K per inning. He’s been overpowering hitters, and this is something the Rockies desperately need if they are going to come out on top in the ultra-competitive Wild Card race.
He’s 25 years old, so it clearly took a long time for him to get where he is, but the Rockies need to strike while the iron is hot. Garcia is pitching out of his mind. So, while it’s not typical for a player to jump from AA to the Major Leagues, it does happen. He seems to have the maturity level, being an advanced age for baseball, to make it work.
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Garcia would likely be given a long reliever role, but if he pitches the way he’s done at this point, he’ll be a starter in no time. The Rockies best starters, Kyle Freeland and Jon Gray haven’t been very good. In fact, Freeland has an ERA north of 7.00. They need starting pitching desperately. Garcia could be the player to turn it around.