Whenever a former Yankees player signs elsewhere, New York fans experience that Westworld tick before they even receive the news. It doesn't matter who it is. They are now out for blood against the Yankees wherever they land.
As of Monday, former top prospect Deivi Garcia became the latest to be on the move. According to Jeff Passan, the right-hander agreed to a minor-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Garcia spent part of 2023 and all of 2024 with the Chicago White Sox, who were unable to unlock the top prospect pedigree he once boasted in New York. The Yankees played a part in killing his value, and then eventually let him wither away into nothing.
Once believed to be a future cornerstone in the starting rotation and under Pedro Martinez's tutelage, Garcia then became batting practice at Triple-A. Ever since he was used as a secret opener during the 2020 ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, it was all downhill from there.
Garcia suffered the same fate in 2024 and got absolutely shelled at Triple-A Charlotte with the White Sox, as MLB's worst team couldn't find room for him on the pitching staff. That's bad.
Former Yankees top prospect Deivi Garcia signs with Milwaukee Brewers
If there was one last-ditch landing spot for Garcia, though, it'd probably be the Brewers, who can make something out of nothing when it comes to reclamation pitching projects.
The Brew Crew are expected to experience turnover this offseason and there could be an opening for Garcia on the pitching staff if he were to rediscover himself in a new setting. Then again, it's not very likely after what we've seen from the 25-year-old ever since the conclusion of 2020.
Yankees fans even having to think about Cashman not capitalizing on Garcia's value in a trade or not putting him on the best path for major league development is a sore spot for the Yankees fans, who have experienced that far too much with their top prospects. Oswald Peraza ended up being the latest in that long line. And the real worryworts are now concerned about Jasson Dominguez after what happened in 2024.
We can't get that dark, though. We'll take one (1) scoreless Garcia showing against the Yankees in late 2025. There we go.
