By Don Leypoldt

St. Louis Cardinal infielder Greg Garcia made his Major League debut yesterday.  He drew a walk in the Cardinals’ 5-3 extra inning loss to Milwaukee.  

The University of Hawaii and suburban San Diego product had a .349 on base percentage, rapped out nine extra base hits and fielded at a .966 clip during his summer in the NECBL.  He also represented Newport in the 2009 All-Star Game and helped the Gulls win that year’s Fay Vincent Cup.

Garcia becomes the second NECBL alumnus to make his Major League debut in 2014, and the 101st overall to play in the Big Leagues.  

The Cardinals’ seventh round pick of the 2011 Draft, Garcia earned first team all-Western Athletic Conference honors as a junior.  He hit at least .283 in each of his first three Minor League seasons, earning MiLB.com Organizational All-Star honors in 2012 when he had a .408 on base percentage at Double-A Springfield.

Promoted to Triple-A Memphis in 2013 Garcia hit .271 with 30 extra base hits.  He was successful in 14 of his 16 steal attempts.  Garcia, who didn’t turn 24 until the season was nearly over, also fielded .970.   
  
At the time of his promotion, Garcia was leading Memphis with five home runs while hitting .277 and slugging .564.  He belted a grand slam in the first week of the season.  Garcia assembled an 11-game hit streak just prior to his call-up.

Garcia’s brother Drew, currently an infielder with the Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate, was also an NECBL All-Star in 2005.  The Garcia’s grandfather, Dave, managed the California Angels and Cleveland Indians between 1977 and 1982.

The NECBL congratulates Greg on this significant achievement.