Prospect Profile: Jarlin Garcia

Jarlin Garcia was called up by the Marlins for a four day period last year, but did not end up getting his first outing. He hopes that will change this time around. The 24-year-old arguably has the best raw pitch selection in the farm system, outside of Braxton Garrett, with a fastball that can touch up to around 96 mph to pair with an average curveball, slider, and changeup. Because he grew up playing soccer, he has only been playing baseball since he was 15. There is potential for Garcia to fill in his frame and leverage his athletic delivery to find a future spot in the rotation. However, without a go-to secondary pitch, he currently appears to be on track for a bullpen role.

The left-hander tends to pitch to contact and limit walks, which is welcomed after the Marlins bullpen last year was the third worst at giving away free passes. He is known for his above average control, boasting a 2.23 BB/9 in his minor league career. Although his strikeout rate remains at an uninspiring 7.20 K/9 in AA Jacksonville, the hope for Garcia is that his ability to put all four of his pitches in the zone will continue to keep hitters from making consistently solid contact.