Justin Garza Bio
Justin Charles Garza (born March 20, 1994) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets, and made his MLB debut in 2021. A right-handed reliever, Garza built his career through the Cleveland farm system before bouncing across several organizations as a depth arm in the bullpen.
Garza was originally selected twice by the Cleveland Indians organization, first out of high school in 2012 and again out of college in 2015. Over the course of his professional journey, he spent time at nearly every level of the minor leagues, worked his way back from a serious arm injury, and carved out a role as a strike-throwing reliever capable of handling late-inning work in the upper minors.
Early Life and Background
Justin Charles Garza was born on March 20, 1994, in Ontario, California. He grew up in that same Inland Empire community and attended Bonita High School in La Verne, where he quickly developed into one of the top pitching prospects in the region. Coming from a Southern California baseball hotbed, Garza was surrounded by strong amateur competition that helped shape his early approach on the mound.
As a senior at Bonita High School, Garza posted a 12–1 record on the mound with a 0.72 earned run average (ERA) and 101 strikeouts over 88 innings pitched. That performance earned him high school All-American recognition from Baseball America. His success drew the attention of Major League scouts, and the Cleveland Indians selected him in the 26th round of the 2012 MLB draft. Rather than sign, Garza opted to continue his development at the collegiate level.
Path to Professional Baseball
Garza played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans for three seasons, emerging as one of the most dependable starters in the Big West Conference. As a freshman, he went 12–0 with a 2.03 ERA and a team-leading 95 strikeouts, performances that earned him Big West Conference pitcher of the year honors. His continued growth through his sophomore year positioned him as a potential early-round pick before an arm injury altered his trajectory.
His junior season at Cal State Fullerton was cut short when he suffered a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) that required Tommy John surgery. Garza still finished his collegiate career with an impressive 21–7 record, a 2.64 ERA, and 208 strikeouts in 252 and two-thirds innings pitched. Following the surgery, the Cleveland Indians drafted him for a second time in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB draft, and he signed with the organization to begin his professional career.
Justin Garza Career
Early Career (2015–2020)
After signing with the Cleveland Indians in 2015, Garza spent the rest of that year and much of 2016 rehabbing from his Tommy John surgery. He was eventually assigned to the Arizona League Indians late in the 2016 season to begin his competitive comeback. The recovery process required patience, but the Indians remained committed to his long-term development as a starting pitcher.
In 2017, Garza pitched for the Single-A Lake County Captains, posting a 4–6 record and a 5.83 ERA in 26 appearances. He split the 2018 season between the Low-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers and the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League, accumulating a 5–6 record and a 3.36 ERA in 18 games between the two levels. Returning to Lynchburg in 2019, Garza pitched to a 6–9 record with a 4.99 ERA and 109 strikeouts across 119 innings of work. He did not appear in a game during the 2020 season after the minor league campaign was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cleveland Indians / Guardians Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Garza opened the 2021 season with the Akron RubberDucks of the Double-A Northeast before a dominant stretch earned him a quick promotion to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. In 12 appearances with Columbus, he posted a stellar 0.44 ERA with 28 strikeouts, forcing the Indians to select his contract and bring him to the major leagues for the first time on June 24, 2021.
He made his MLB debut on June 27, 2021, pitching two and two-thirds innings of one-run relief with three strikeouts against the Minnesota Twins in an 8–2 loss. Garza earned his first career major league win on July 31, 2021, after pitching two scoreless innings in a 12–11 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The Indians renamed themselves the Cleveland Guardians that November, and the club designated Garza for assignment on November 19, 2021. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Columbus on November 24. In 37 relief outings for Columbus, he recorded a 4.64 ERA with 50 strikeouts and seven saves across 42 and two-thirds innings pitched, and he elected minor league free agency on November 10, 2022.
Los Angeles Angels (2022–2023)
On December 12, 2022, Garza signed a one-year major league deal with the Los Angeles Angels. He was optioned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees to begin the 2023 season, where he made six appearances and posted a 4.32 ERA with five strikeouts in eight and one-third innings before being designated for assignment on April 21, 2023.
Boston Red Sox Era (2023)
On April 28, 2023, the Boston Red Sox claimed Garza off waivers and optioned him to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. He was added to Boston’s active roster on May 16, optioned back to Worcester on July 8, and briefly recalled again later that month. In 17 games for the Red Sox, he posted a 7.36 ERA with 17 strikeouts across 18 and one-third innings of work. Following the season on November 2, Garza was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A Worcester, and he elected free agency on November 6 after rejecting the assignment.
New York Mets Era (2025)
On June 7, 2025, Garza was traded to the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations, and his contract was selected to the active roster on June 9. In five appearances for the Mets, he recorded a 5.40 ERA with three strikeouts across six and two-thirds innings pitched. On September 7, 2025, the Mets designated Garza for assignment, and he elected free agency after clearing waivers on September 9, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Garza has been used primarily as a relief pitcher, with most of his major league work coming out of the bullpen. His track record in the upper minors reflects a pitcher comfortable working multiple innings at a time, whether in a long relief role or in shorter late-inning spots.
Notable Events and Milestones
Garza’s MLB debut on June 27, 2021, against the Minnesota Twins marked the culmination of a long climb back from Tommy John surgery. His first major league win came on July 31, 2021, in a high-scoring 12–11 victory over the Chicago White Sox, and he went on to pitch in the major leagues for three different organizations over four seasons.
Justin Garza Career Wins
Across his MLB career, Garza appeared with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets, compiling a 2–3 win–loss record, a 5.70 ERA, and 49 strikeouts. He earned his first major league victory in 2021 with Cleveland, with his additional win coming during his time in the major leagues.
MLB Highlights
Garza’s first MLB win came in dramatic fashion on July 31, 2021, when he delivered two scoreless relief innings to help the Indians edge the Chicago White Sox 12–11. He later added a second win during his time in the major leagues, contributing relief outings for Boston and later appearing in five games for the Mets in 2025.
Other Performances
Outside of the major leagues, Garza posted a 0.44 ERA in 12 appearances for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 2021 and added seven saves in 37 relief outings for Columbus in 2022. In 2024, he appeared in 39 games across the Single-A San Jose Giants and the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats in the San Francisco Giants system, compiling a 5–2 record and a 3.60 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 4 saves over 55 innings of work.
Justin Garza Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public information about Justin Charles Garza’s family background is limited, and the available sources do not provide verified details about his parents or siblings. His rise through the amateur ranks in Southern California and his long recovery from Tommy John surgery are the most documented elements of his pre-professional life.
Personal Life
Details about Justin Charles Garza’s marital status, spouse, and children are not publicly confirmed in the available verified sources. He is known to have been active on social media, with an Instagram presence under his name.
2025 Season Performance
Justin Charles Garza began 2025 with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats in the San Francisco Giants organization, posting a 1–2 record and a 6.11 ERA with 20 strikeouts and six saves across 17 and two-thirds innings pitched. His work in Sacramento included several save opportunities, reflecting the swingman role he had been asked to fill in the upper minors.
On June 7, 2025, Garza was traded to the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations, and his contract was selected to the active roster two days later. In five relief appearances for the Mets, he recorded a 5.40 ERA with three strikeouts across six and two-thirds innings of work. The Mets designated him for assignment on September 7, 2025, and he elected free agency on September 9 after clearing waivers, closing out his major league work for the year.
Garza’s 2025 season highlighted both his usefulness as a flexible upper-minors arm and the volatility of life on the edges of a major league bullpen. With the move to the Mets giving him another taste of the big leagues, he showed that he could still be called upon at the top level, even if his opportunities remained limited. Heading into 2026, Garza is once again a free agent, with the next chapter of his career still to be written.