In this edition of ESNY’s New York Yankees prospect profile, we take a look at third baseman Dermis Garcia.
During the New York Yankees very wealthy international spending spree a few years ago, they were able to sign a third baseman with a very high upside, Dermis Garcia.
The key skill of Garcia that led the Yankees to hand the 16-year old a $3.2 million contract out of the Dominican Republic was his raw power and his ability to effortlessly launch baseballs into orbit with the swing of a bat.
However, with his ridiculous power also comes struggles with making consistent contact and being able to recognize offspeed pitches. Plate discipline is one area of Garcia’s game where he could certainly use some work.
Take a look at what scouts have to say about the rest of his skills:
Scouting grades via MLB Pipeline: Hit: 40 / Power: 55 / Run: 30 / Arm: 60 / Field: 40 / Overall: 45
It should be noted that Garcia currently spends his time on the field at the hot corner, however, many scouts believe due to his limited range he will eventually wind up at first.
The right-hander does have a strong arm, but it may not be enough to keep him as a third baseman as he progresses through his professional career.
When Garcia debuted in 2015 with the Gulf Coast League Yankees, he struggled tremendously. The third baseman sported a putrid .159/.256/.188 slash line with not a single home run in 23 games.
This troubling debut started to raise questions asking if the right-hander’s power could translate against professional pitching. With these questions being asked, Garcia improved greatly in his 2016 campaign.
In 57 games with the Pulaski Yankees, Garcia sported a .206/.326/.454 slash line with 13 home runs and 24 RBI’s. His batting average could still use some work, but the key sign to look at here is how great he improved from his debut season.
Judging by his first two seasons it is easy to predict the type of player Garcia has the ceiling to be, he will hit a ton of home runs for your team but he will strike out just as many times.
Nonetheless, the third baseman is still only 20-years old with a while to go until he hits the major leagues. According to MLB Pipeline, fans will not see him in the Bronx until 2020 at the earliest.
Be sure to keep your eye out for this powerful third base prospect as he makes his way through the Yankees minor league system.