The New York Yankees made a surprising move this past week.
New York activated right-handed relief pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga from the 60-day injured list and to make room on the roster designated former No. 3 prospect Deivi García for assignment. The Chicago White Sox quickly swooped in and claimed the former elite prospect Thursday and optioned him to the minor leagues.
García began his professional career in the Yankees' farm system as a teenager in 2016 and worked his way up and made his big league debut in 2020. The 24-year-old appeared in 10 big league games across three seasons -- most recently this year -- and compiled a 4.84 ERA and 43 strikeouts across 48 1/3 innings pitched. His numbers may not jump off the page, but he is still young, and former Yankees catcher Erik Kratz opened up about how he feels the team handled the hurler.
"They didn't want to trade him because they felt like there was so much upside for him," Kratz said on Foul Territory. "And now he's DFA'd. I think watching him pitching recently just this year, they did him wrong. The organization has a sense of the coaches they had to coach him through being a 20-year-old in the big leagues. It's a prime example of a guy that could've traded for whatever the Yankees needed. He would've been a big piece coming off the years he was having in the minor leagues. Didn't do it and now anyone can have him."
Chicago quickly made a move and now García will look to make his way back to the big leagues with the White Sox. At just 24 years old, it wouldn't be too surprising to see him get back to the majors in the not-so-distant future and get back on track.
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