Rico Garcia Bio
Joshua Rico Garcia, born on January 10, 1994, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently in the organization of the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed reliever, he has spent much of his career as a journeyman, suiting up for multiple big-league clubs since his 2019 debut. Beyond MLB, he represented the Puerto Rico national baseball team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Garcia grew up in Hawaii and developed his game on the islands before being selected in the 2016 MLB Draft. He has been described by Minor League Baseball outlets as a durable starter and a versatile relief arm, qualities that have allowed him to keep resurfacing at the top level.
Early Life and Background
Joshua Rico Garcia was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in the same island community that produced a long line of baseball talent. He is the son of a Puerto Rican father and a Hawaiian mother, a background that later connected him to Puerto Rican national baseball. Growing up in Honolulu gave him year-round access to the game and shaped his identity as an island-developed pitcher.
Garcia attended the Saint Louis School in Honolulu, a private institution known for producing high-level athletes. After finishing his prep career, he continued his development at Hawaii Pacific University, where he played college baseball for the Sharks. Across 45 starts at Hawaii Pacific, he went 21–13 with a 3.10 ERA, establishing himself as a reliable workhorse on the mound.
During his college summers, Garcia also played in the Northwoods League for the Kenosha Kingfish in 2014 and 2015. He later became the first Kingfish alumnus to reach the major leagues, a milestone that underscored how his amateur path through Hawaii and the upper Midwest prepared him for professional baseball.
Path to Baseball
Garcia’s path to professional baseball ran through the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft, where the Colorado Rockies selected him in the 30th round, 890th overall. He was considered a projectable college arm with innings behind him, and the Rockies sent him to the short-season Boise Hawks to begin his pro career.
He spent his first professional season with Boise in 2016, going 0–4 with a 6.37 ERA in 35 and one-third innings. The following year, he split time between Boise and the Asheville Tourists, posting a 2–6 record and a 3.39 ERA across 16 games. By 2018, he was emerging as a leader in the system, going 13–9 with a 2.96 ERA in 27 games, mostly starts, between the Lancaster JetHawks and the Hartford Yard Goats, and earning MILB.com Organization All-Star recognition along with mid-season and post-season California League All-Star honors.
In 2019, Garcia opened the season with Hartford before a June 20 promotion to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. Combined between the two levels that year, he went 10–6 with a 4.24 ERA and 138 strikeouts over 129 and one-third innings in 26 starts, putting himself in position for a major-league call.
Rico Garcia Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Garcia’s early professional years were spent working his way up the Rockies’ minor-league ladder. In his debut season of 2016, he struggled with control and run prevention at Boise, but the organization kept him in a starting role. The next year showed clear progress, as he trimmed his ERA by nearly three runs while splitting time between Boise and Asheville.
His 2018 season was a turning point. Pitching for Lancaster and Hartford, he combined for 13 wins and a 2.96 ERA, with league and organizational awards following. Those results convinced the Rockies that he was ready for Triple-A, and the following spring he broke camp with the Isotopes’ rotation.
Colorado Rockies Era (2019)
On August 27, 2019, the Rockies selected Garcia’s contract from Albuquerque and added him to the major-league roster. That night, he made his MLB debut against the Boston Red Sox, allowing six runs in five innings. He went on to pitch a total of six innings for Colorado that season, completing his first taste of the big leagues.
Following the season, the Rockies non-tendered him, ending his time in the organization. He was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants on November 5, 2019, only to be non-tendered again on December 2 of that year.
San Francisco Giants Era (2020–2021)
Garcia re-signed with the Giants on a minor-league deal in the offseason and returned to the organization. In the shortened 2020 season, he logged a 5.40 ERA with seven strikeouts across 10 innings of work. The Giants once again non-tendered him in December 2020, and he re-signed on a minor-league contract a day later.
His 2021 plans were derailed on March 24, when the Giants announced that he would require Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the entire season. He underwent the procedure on March 27, 2021, and elected free agency on November 7 of that year, beginning the next phase of his career as a free agent.
Baltimore Orioles Era (2022)
On November 10, 2021, Garcia signed a minor-league contract with the Baltimore Orioles and was assigned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. His first recall came on June 13, 2022, when he was added to the 40-man roster to replace Keegan Akin, who was unavailable for a series in Toronto. In two appearances, he allowed one run on three hits with a strikeout in three innings before being returned to Norfolk on June 17.
He returned to the majors on July 10, 2022, and made six appearances for Baltimore, posting a 4.50 ERA with two strikeouts in eight innings. On September 11, he was designated for assignment following the waiver claim of Cam Gallagher, cleared waivers on September 13, and was sent outright to Norfolk before electing free agency on November 10.
Oakland Athletics Era (2023)
On November 11, 2022, Garcia signed a minor-league deal with the Oakland Athletics. He began 2023 with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, making nine appearances and logging a 2.03 ERA with 19 strikeouts and two saves in 13 and one-third innings. That performance earned him a promotion, and on May 4, 2023, Oakland selected his contract to the active roster.
In seven games for the Athletics, he struggled to an 8.31 ERA with six strikeouts in eight and two-thirds innings. On July 7, he was designated for assignment following the promotion of Cody Thomas, cleared waivers on July 10, and rejected the outright assignment the next day in favor of free agency.
Washington Nationals Era (2023–2024)
On July 12, 2023, Garcia signed a minor-league contract with the Washington Nationals and reported to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. After two scoreless appearances, the Nationals selected his contract on July 19, and he made three appearances for Washington, allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts in three innings.
A month-long stay on the injured list with biceps tendinitis interrupted his season, and he was activated before being released on September 1. Two days later, on September 3, he re-signed with the Nationals on a two-year, minor-league contract. He elected free agency on November 4, 2024, after the 2024 minor-league season ended.
New York Mets and New York Yankees Era (2025)
On November 6, 2024, Garcia signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets and opened 2025 with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. In 24 appearances, including two starts, he went 0–1 with a 4.45 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and one save across 30 and one-third innings. On July 3, 2025, the Mets selected his contract and added him to the active roster, where he made two scoreless appearances before being designated for assignment on July 11.
Three days later, on July 14, 2025, the New York Yankees claimed him off waivers. He made his Yankees debut on July 18, allowing three earned runs in relief, and was designated for assignment the next day. On July 21, the Mets reclaimed him off waivers, and he made six appearances for New York, allowing three runs on six hits with 13 strikeouts over eight innings, before being designated for assignment again on August 2.
Baltimore Orioles Era (2025–Present)
On August 5, 2025, the Baltimore Orioles claimed Garcia off waivers, returning him to a familiar organization. He wears jersey number 50 for Baltimore, and his big-league resume now spans the Rockies, Giants, Orioles, Athletics, Nationals, Mets, and Yankees. Through games of June 20, 2026, he had a 4–5 record with a 4.17 ERA and 94 strikeouts at the major-league level.
Driving Style and Strengths
Garcia is built as a durable, innings-eating arm who has shown the ability to work both as a starter and as a reliever. In the minors he logged heavy workloads, including 26 starts in 2019 and 45 starts across his Hawaii Pacific career, while at the big-league level he has been used primarily in short relief stints. His ability to miss bats, evidenced by his Triple-A strikeout totals with Syracuse and Las Vegas, has been a key asset, and his willingness to accept a variety of roles has helped him stay in demand.
Notable Events and Milestones
Garcia’s most notable milestones include becoming the first Kenosha Kingfish alumnus to reach the major leagues and his MLB debut against the Boston Red Sox on August 27, 2019. He has also represented the Puerto Rico national baseball team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, a meaningful honor given his family background. His repeated passage through waivers, with stints on the Mets, Yankees, and Orioles within the same 2025 season, has become a defining chapter of his pro career.
Rico Garcia Career Wins
Joshua Rico Garcia has accumulated most of his win totals in the minor leagues, where he has spent the majority of his professional career. Verified milestones include a 13-win season in 2018 between Lancaster and Hartford, a 10-win season in 2019 split between Hartford and Albuquerque, and a 21–13 record across 45 starts at Hawaii Pacific. Major-league win totals are not summarized here, as the underlying totals could not be verified to the required standard.
Minor League Highlights
Garcia’s strongest minor-league seasons came in 2018, when he went 13–9 with a 2.96 ERA, and in 2019, when he went 10–6 with a 4.24 ERA and 138 strikeouts over 129 and one-third innings. His college career at Hawaii Pacific produced 21 wins against 13 losses across 45 starts. He also picked up two saves with the Las Vegas Aviators in 2023, an early sign that he could adapt to bullpen work at the upper levels.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond full-season totals, Garcia has produced several short but effective stretches, including his time with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets in 2025, where he struck out 37 batters in 30 and one-third innings. He has also been a steady presence in spring training rosters, and his repeated selection to 40-man rosters in 2022, 2023, and 2025 reflects the respect he has earned from big-league staffs.
Rico Garcia Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Joshua Rico Garcia was born in Hawaii to a Puerto Rican father and a Hawaiian mother, a dual heritage that helped him connect with the Puerto Rico national baseball team. Growing up around the islands gave him a strong amateur foundation, and his Saint Louis School and Hawaii Pacific background have become part of the family story. The Garcia baseball identity is closely tied to his Puerto Rican roots, which ultimately opened the door to his World Baseball Classic selection.
Personal Life
Public information about Garcia’s personal life is limited. He is known to maintain ties to Hawaii and has continued to identify with both his Puerto Rican and Hawaiian heritage throughout his career. He has been active in community and team settings across each of his organizations, though specific personal-life details beyond his family background and birthplace are not publicly documented in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
Garcia’s 2025 season was a busy one, defined by a series of transactions across the Mets, Yankees, and Orioles. He opened the year with the Syracuse Mets of Triple-A, where his 0–1 record and 4.45 ERA, paired with 37 strikeouts across 30 and one-third innings, were enough to earn a July 3 call-up to the New York Mets. Two scoreless appearances led to a quick designation for assignment, and he was claimed by the Yankees on July 14.
With the Yankees, he debuted on July 18, allowing three earned runs in relief, and was designated for assignment the next day. The Mets then reclaimed him off waivers on July 21, and in six appearances for New York he allowed three runs on six hits while striking out 13 over eight innings before another designation on August 2. The Orioles then claimed him off waivers on August 5, giving him a stable home in Baltimore for the stretch run.
Through games of June 20, 2026, Garcia’s major-league line for the year was a 4–5 record with a 4.17 ERA and 94 strikeouts. His 2025 outlook centers on settling into Baltimore’s bullpen and continuing to provide multi-inning relief behind an Orioles pitching staff that has been in flux. Given his track record of bouncing back from setbacks, including Tommy John surgery, the organization has reason to believe he can be a reliable depth arm down the stretch.
