Washington Nationals’ Luis García tearing up Triple-A pitching; working on defense at short

Following his 2 for 4, two-home run sport on Tuesday night time for the Triple-A Rochester Crimson Wings, the Washington Nationals’ high minor league affiliate, 21-year-old infielder Luis García was sporting a ridiculous .360/.407/.613 line with three doubles, two triples, and 4 residence runs by means of the primary 17 video games of the 2022 marketing campaign.

Garcia performed second final night time, however has spent many of the first month (13G) at shortstop, because the membership transitions him again to his authentic place, after he performed second within the majors in 2020-21.

He made 11 errors in 99 probabilities at brief within the 2021 season, and 4 early this yr, however his supervisor in Rochester, Matt LeCroy, informed Federal Baseball’s David Driver earlier this week the younger shortstop has picked up his sport after a shaky begin to the season on protection.

LeCroy stated that whereas García made some errors within the first collection of the season, he’s put within the work to enhance defensively.

“He has labored arduous day-after-day since,” LeCroy stated. “He has principally had a fairly clear collection at residence after which on the street; he performed largely at second in Spring Coaching.”

“Offensively,” the supervisor added, “he’s in a extremely great place, the very best I’ve seen him.”

Huge league skipper Davey Martinez talked to reporters final week about why they haven’t rushed García again as much as the majors the way in which he’s swinging it, particularly with the membership’s struggles offensively within the first month and shortstop Alcides Escobar struggling on the offensive and defensive ends.

“He’s been hitting the ball very well,” Martinez stated, as quoted by NBC Sports activities Washington’s Matt Weyrich:

“I talked to LeCroy about him. He stated he’s actually hitting the ball; he’s working actually good at-bats. The flip aspect is that he must get higher on protection. We talked to him and he’s working, he’s working arduous to get higher. He’s engaged on his footwork, engaged on being somewhat bit faster…setting his toes when he throws, issues of that nature.”

Pretty much as good as he’s been offensively, it’s about being extra well-rounded as a participant.

“It’s not nearly hitting with him,” Martinez added.

“It’s concerning the total sport and when he comes right here, he’s going to return in and play day-after-day. Whether or not it’s shortstop, whether or not it’s second base, we don’t know that however we hope that he can play shortstop for us sooner or later. So we want his protection to be crisp and clear.”

Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo reiterated the membership’s method to García’s improvement when he talked concerning the infielder’s progress with 106.7 the FAN in D.C.’s Sports activities Junkies Wednesday morning.

“He’s enjoying nice,” Rizzo stated. “Swinging the bat properly. He’s making a metamorphosis again to shortstop full-time, he’s enjoying day-after-day at shortstop this yr. That’s the place we would like him to play. We bounced him across the final season enjoying second base and shortstop, on the massive league degree it was virtually completely at second base, so he’s studying to play shortstop at a excessive degree at Triple-A. He’s all the time been a great offensive participant within the minor leagues, we simply wish to ensure that he’s bought his toes beneath him when will get right here and performs shortstop day-after-day within the massive leagues. We all know he’s the long run at shortstop, we acknowledge that [Escobar] is struggling on the massive league degree and Luis is prospering on the minor league degree offensively, however I wish to guarantee that he’s ready to play all sides of the sport within the massive leagues when he will get right here, as a result of when he will get right here he’s going to play day-after-day, and we’re going to depend on him as a result of he’s an enormous a part of the long run.”