July 20th, 2013.
That was the day that saw No. 74 ranked prospect Avisail Garcia sent to the White Sox from Detroit in a three-team deal. Garcia, then just 22-years-old, was absolutely tearing up Triple-A pitching, having a slash line of .380/.424/.561 when the White Sox acquired him. Because of his 6’4, 240-pound frame and power potential, he had been given the nickname “Little Miggy”, a reference to the Detroit Tigers All-Star Miguel Cabrera. Not a bad comparison to have. It had seemed that the South Side had found a young five-tool future All-Star ready to make his mark on the league.
Instead, the exact opposite has happened.
In his brief action with the White Sox his rookie year, Garcia actually played pretty well and flashed the potential the White Sox saw in him. In 42 games, he slashed .304/.327/.447. Not a bad showcase by any means.
Then came 2014. The year Avi Garcia was going to get his first full season in the big leagues. He was going to adjust to major league pitching, get some quality at-bats, and develop all five tools that made him a top 100 prospect. There were going to be some ups and downs just like there are for any young player, but it was a year that would be crucial to Avi’s overall development.
Things did not turn out that way.
In a game against the Colorado Rockies in April 2014, Garcia laid out for a ball dropping quickly in right field. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the White Sox, he fell awkwardly, causing him to tear the labrum of his non-throwing shoulder. And just like that, Avi’s season was over before it even started.
2015 and 2016 were not any kinder to Avisail. Although he stayed healthier, his numbers were anything but. Fans were quick to get on him not just about his offense, but his horrendous defense in right field. Although he quietly has a cannon of an arm, he was out of position, took horrible routes, and just seemed to have trouble getting good jumps on the ball. By the end of 2016, it seemed like the end was near for Avi Garcia on the South Side.
A Drastic Change
Once Chris Sale and Adam Eaton were both traded last offseason, it was clear the direction of the White Sox had changed. Always a team to try and add at the deadline, the front office finally decided to sacrifice the present for future success. Since then, fans have started the #TankforBeer movement on Twitter, essentially begging the team to tank and finish with the worst record in baseball so they would be in a better position to draft the stud prospect from Clemson, 1B/OF Seth Beer.
It was for this reason why fans were not necessarily upset to get another full year of Avisail Garcia in right field. A huge defensive liability and a bust at the plate thus far, he would surely be a main factor in helping the White Sox, well… suck.
Except he hasn’t. In fact, he is one of the main reasons the White Sox have as many wins as they do early on in the 2017 season. After a torrid start, Avi has slowed down a bit, which was expected. However, entering play tonight, he is still putting a robust slash line of .371/.426/.581. Many players have taken up until their age 25 season to finally have something click, and so far that seems to be the case with Avi.
What Has Changed?
Two things in particular seem to have finally clicked with Avi this season: his patience, and his opposite-field power.
Anyone who has paid close attention to Avisail Garcia throughout his career knows there is a pretty common trend when he is at the plate. He cannot lay off of, or hit pitches low and away or up in the zone.
Take a look at Avi’s heat map from 2013 to the end of 2016. (Whiff rate only)
The evidence is clear, pitches low and away or up and in have been a common formula to get the White Sox slugger to swing and miss.
Now, take a look at the same chart from the young 2017 season.
It’s still early, but so far Avi seems to be showing much better discipline in his two worst areas. Whether he can keep it up remains to be seen.
The other notable change we have seen with Avi so far this season is his opposite field power. So far, almost all of his extra base hits have been to right, or right center. This is interesting because Avi has been seen as a pull hitter throughout his career. If he can consistently tap into his opposite power and use the whole field, he could become a legitimate threat in the heart of the White Sox lineup.
How Avi Can Change The White Sox Plan
With the way the White Sox are playing right now, it is going to be hard for them to land the no. 1 overall pick. They still are not going to have a good record by any means, but they definitely are not as bad as some other teams out there. The more the White Sox win, the further away from Seth Beer they get. However, if this version of Avisail Garcia is the new norm, it will be more than okay.
A hypothetical future outfield of Garcia, Luis Robert, and Kyle Tucker (we can use him for now in case the Astros decide to pull the trigger on Quintana) could end up being one of the better ones in the MLB.
Trade Bait? Forget About It.
The more Avi continues to hit, the more fans will start to say how the front office should trade him while his value is at its highest. This is definitely a fair point to have, but not one I would condone. If he were 29-years-old, I would be singing a different tune, but he is not. He is 25. Right smack dab in the prime of his career. He is exactly the type of young talent the White Sox are currently trying to obtain. If Avi tails off and reverts back to what people have seen from him, the White Sox do not have to resign him.
Which brings me to my next point.
This is Avisail Garcia’s last year he is under contract with the White Sox. I am sure he thinks about that a lot as well. Players across all sports tend to have great seasons in contract years more often than not. Now, some may say here “The White Sox are going to overpay for Avi after one good year!” Wrong. Remember, the White Sox have the best in the business in signing people to long-term deals. Rick Hahn has locked up Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, Jose Quintana, and Tim Anderson to long-term, team friendly contracts in his tenure with the White Sox. If one GM is NOT going to make a mistake with a contract, it’s Rick Hahn.
The Future Looks Bright
It remains to be seen if Avi’s hot start is just that, or if something has actually clicked with him. For some it just takes a little longer to tap into their true potential. Look at Adrian Beltre for example. He was a decent player the first few seasons in the MLB, but surely nothing to rave about. Then in his age 25 season he hit .334/.388/.629. He finished top 10 in MVP voting in his age 31 season and top 15 every season since. Not saying that Avi Garcia will be Adrian Beltre when it is all said and done, but he may be on a similar path on how long it took for him to reach his potential. If this new Avi is the real Avi, then the White Sox already have a solid young core for the foreseeable future. Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Zack Collins, and the plethora of pitching prospects make for fun times ahead. The best part? The White Sox rebuild is just getting started.
Let’s hope the same can be said for Avi’s career.
