Chicago Cubs: Reivaj Garcia is flying under the radar in the organization

While the Chicago Cubs have several prospects who fans are excited about for the future, one exceptionally young infielder is quietly flying under the radar, working to make his staple in the organization.

Looking at the Chicago Cubs‘ top ten overall prospect list on MLB.com, there exists a nice mix of both position players and pitchers. When looking at the next ten guys, the pitching exceeds the offense. The final ten in the top thirty shift back between a healthy mix of hitters and pitchers alike. Interspersed in the bottom half of the list is none other than a 17-year-old switch hitter, who has already shown exciting signs with his ability.

Reivaj Garcia just turned 17 years old last August and has only a single season of professional baseball under his belt, playing in the Rookie-level Arizona League for the AZL Cubs. In 2017, the club signed Garcia out of Mexico, away from the Yucatan Lions for $500,000.

Impressively, Garcia became the youngest player to appear in minor league baseball and it did not show in the slightest. While he does not have an ETA to the major leagues until 2023, Garcia is already showing impressive abilities and fans should take note.

Chicago Cubs: Right side, left side, strong side

One significant advantage to Garcia’s game and his overall ability is that he is a switch-hitter, which could play very well into his future. Garcia is listed as a second baseman, having played solely there during his time in Arizona. Word is Garcia can play shortstop; however, concerns regarding his arm strength make it seem that the four spot on the diamond is where his future lies.

When you watch Garcia, he gives off the notion of a veteran hitter, and you couldn’t tell it is, in fact, a 17-year-old kid. As someone who is not very big, standing at 5’11” and 175 pounds, the short compact swing Garcia displays is smooth and quick and transitions well to line drives off the bat. He knows how to make solid contact, which is an important skill and one which takes time to teach.

Concerning his defense, as previously noted Garcia spent his entire time at second base, playing 332 innings there while making six errors. The concern of his arm strength is real, but it is encouraging to see a relatively impressive start for Garcia in the field after one season. Time will tell whether he does transition around as more of a utility infielder, which doesn’t seem likely.

Garcia does also display a quickness out of the box, especially from the left side. When going opposite field, his swing tends to carry him towards first base, which is very much like Ichiro and his finish. In swiping seven bags in 40 games, that would put him on pace to be a 20-bag per year player, which would be great for Chicago.

Chicago Cubs: Looking into the crystal ball

t would surprise nobody to see Garcia arrive at South Bend or Myrtle Beach by next season at the latest. My bet is Myrtle Beach, assuming the production continues and Garcia shows a mature ability for his age to play baseball and be good.

Current second baseman Addison Russell hits ARB 4 in 2021 however nobody knows what the brass will do with him when the time comes. Javier Baez is also in a similar situation, hitting ARB 3 in 2021. The expected reality is Báez will be with the team for the long haul while they move on from Russell.

If this happens, it may open a massive door for Garcia to make a splash. Despite that estimated time of arrival at 2023, Garcia will be in Chicago much sooner if he continues to grow and progress at this level of production. The future is a fun one for Cubs fans with Garcia in the mix.