Considering the Philadelphia Phillies have recently promoted Scott Kingery and Nick Maton to the majors — and with Ronald Torreyes placed on the COVID-19 injured list — the organization is thin as it relates to infielders at their alternate training site in Lehigh Valley.
As such, the Phillies have reportedly signed a seven-year veteran to a minor-league deal to help fill the glaring void — Greg Garcia — according to Bryce Miller of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Garcia, who has a May 2 opt-out date on his contract, calls this a “great opportunity” for him.
The Phillies have signed utility player Greg Garcia to a minor-league deal.
Spanning 71 plate appearances last season with the San Diego Padres, the California native slashed .200/.279/.250 with nine singles, three doubles, 11 RBI, seven walks, and 18 strikeouts. In the field, Garcia played second and third base, commiting only one error through 37 chances and 96 1/3 innings.
The Padres non-tendered Garcia in early December. Two months later, he signed a minor-league contract with the Detroit Tigers, but was released in late March after hitting just .143 (4-for-28) with seven strikeouts in spring training.
Garcia began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, selected in the seventh round of the 2010 draft out of the University of Hawaii. Garcia debuted as a Cardinal in 2014 and saw as many as 372 plate appearances with the Padres in 2019 — a season in which he slashed .248/.364/.718 with 21 extra-base hits and 31 RBI through 134 games. In the field that year, Garcia played first base, second base, shortstop, third base, and even left field.
Garcia is the second former Cardinals player that Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has recently signed to the team’s alternate training site roster. Earlier this week, the Phillies added left-handed reliever and North Jersey native Rob Kaminsky. Garcia will join fellow minor-league infielders 2B Daniel Brito, 1B Darick Hall, 1B Austin Listi, and 3B Luke Williams in Lehigh Valley.
Having won as many times as they have lost through the first 18 games, the Phillies roster is anything but a final product. Clearly, Dombrowski will continue to add depth as the right fits arise.