Rico Garcia Bio
Joshua Rico Garcia is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, New York Mets, and New York Yankees. Garcia made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Rockies and has since developed into a well-traveled relief pitcher.
Over the course of his career, Garcia has spent time with seven Major League organizations, working primarily out of the bullpen. His path through professional baseball has included stints in the minor leagues, brief Major League appearances, and a Tommy John surgery that cost him the 2021 season. He returned from the procedure and has continued to compete at the highest level.
Early Life and Background
Joshua Rico Garcia was born on January 10, 1994, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He grew up in Hawaii and attended Saint Louis School in Honolulu, where he played baseball and developed his skills as a pitcher. The school has a strong baseball tradition in the islands and gave Garcia an early platform to showcase his abilities on the mound.
After high school, Garcia attended Hawaii Pacific University, where he played college baseball for the Sharks. He was a dependable starter during his time with the program, finishing his college career with a 21–13 record and a 3.10 earned run average across 45 starts. In the summers of 2014 and 2015, Garcia played for the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods League, gaining valuable experience against top college competition.
Path to Professional Baseball
Garcia’s college performance and summer league play helped him draw attention from Major League scouts. In the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, he was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 30th round with the 890th overall pick. He signed with the organization and began his professional career that summer.
His first professional assignment was with the Boise Hawks of the short-season Northwest League. He worked through the lower levels of the Rockies system before moving up to higher affiliates. Garcia’s steady progression through the minors reflected his durability as a starter and his ability to log innings, traits that would later translate into a bullpen role in the majors.
Rico Garcia Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Garcia made his professional debut with the Boise Hawks in 2016, posting a 6.37 ERA in 35 and one-third innings. He returned to Boise in 2017 before being promoted to the Asheville Tourists, and over the season he combined for a 2–6 record and a 3.39 ERA in 16 games, including 12 starts. His development continued as he adjusted to professional hitting and a longer schedule.
In 2018, Garcia split the year between the Lancaster JetHawks and the Hartford Yard Goats, finishing with a 13–9 record and a 2.96 ERA in 27 appearances, 26 of which were starts. He was recognized as an MILB.com Organization All-Star and earned both mid-season and post-season California League All-Star honors. Those performances established him as a legitimate starting pitcher prospect within the Rockies system.
Colorado Rockies Breakthrough (2019)
Garcia opened the 2019 season with the Hartford Yard Goats and was promoted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes on June 20. Combined between the two levels, he went 10–6 with a 4.24 ERA over 129 and one-third innings in 26 starts, striking out 138 batters. The performance was strong enough to put him on the doorstep of the Major Leagues.
On August 27, 2019, the Rockies selected Garcia’s contract and promoted him to the majors. He made his debut that night against the Boston Red Sox, allowing six runs in five innings pitched. Garcia pitched a total of six innings for the Rockies in 2019, completing his first taste of Major League Baseball.
San Francisco Giants Era (2019–2021)
On November 5, 2019, Garcia was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants. He was non-tendered on December 2, 2019, became a free agent, and later re-signed with the Giants on a minor league deal. In the shortened 2020 season, he posted a 5.40 ERA with seven strikeouts in 10 innings of work for San Francisco. The Giants non-tendered him again in December 2020, but he re-signed on a minor league contract the next day.
On March 24, 2021, the Giants announced that Garcia would require Tommy John surgery, and he underwent the procedure on March 27. The injury cost him the entire 2021 season, and he elected free agency on November 7, 2021.
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. He was selected to the 40-man roster on June 13, 2022, and appeared in two games, allowing one run on three hits with a strikeout in three innings before being returned to Triple-A on June 17. He was selected back to the major league roster on July 10 and appeared in six games for Baltimore, registering a 4.50 ERA with two strikeouts in eight innings of work. Garcia was designated for assignment on September 11 and elected free agency on November 10, 2022.
Oakland Athletics Era (2023)
Garcia signed a minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics on November 11, 2022, and opened 2023 with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, where he posted a 2.03 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 2 saves across 13 and one-third innings. On May 4, 2023, the Athletics selected his contract, and he appeared in seven games for Oakland, logging an 8.31 ERA with six strikeouts in eight and two-thirds innings. Garcia was designated for assignment on July 7 and rejected an outright assignment in favor of free agency on July 11.
Washington Nationals Era (2023–2024)
On July 12, 2023, Garcia signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. After two scoreless appearances for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, the Nationals selected his contract on July 19. He allowed four runs on six hits with four strikeouts in three innings across three appearances before landing on the injured list with biceps tendinitis. Garcia was activated and subsequently released on September 1, then re-signed with the organization on a two-year minor league deal on September 3. He elected free agency on November 4, 2024.
New York Mets Era (2025)
On November 6, 2024, Garcia signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets and spent most of 2025 with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, going 0-1 with a 4.45 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and one save over 30 and one-third innings in 24 appearances, two of which were starts. On July 3, 2025, the Mets selected his contract, and he made two scoreless appearances before being designated for assignment on July 11. He returned to the Mets on a waiver claim on July 21, made six appearances allowing three runs on six hits with 13 strikeouts in eight innings, and was designated for assignment again on August 2.
New York Yankees Era (2025)
On July 14, 2025, Garcia was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees. He made his Yankees debut on July 18, allowing three earned runs in relief, and was designated for assignment by New York the next day.
Baltimore Orioles Return (2025)
On August 5, 2025, Garcia was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles, returning to the organization where he had previously appeared in 2022.
Driving Style and Strengths
Garcia works primarily as a relief pitcher, where his strikeout ability has been a defining trait. He has shown the ability to miss bats in both the minors and the majors, including a stretch of 13 strikeouts in eight innings with the Mets in 2025. His durability, developed during years as a starter in the Rockies system, gives him the foundation to handle high-leverage bullpen appearances.
Notable Events and Milestones
Garcia’s MLB debut on August 27, 2019, against the Boston Red Sox marked the realization of a long professional journey that began at Saint Louis School in Honolulu. He is also the first alumnus of the Kenosha Kingfish to play in the Major Leagues. His recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2021 and subsequent return to the majors underscored his perseverance.
Rico Garcia Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Joshua Rico Garcia was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and developed his baseball roots there before moving into collegiate and professional play. Public details about his parents, spouse, and children are not widely documented in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been defined by movement for Joshua Rico Garcia, who has appeared for three different Major League organizations in a single year. He opened the season in the minors with Syracuse before debuting for the Mets on July 3 and making two scoreless appearances. After a short stint in the Mets bullpen, he was designated for assignment, claimed by the New York Yankees on July 14, and appeared once before being designated again the next day.
Garcia returned to the Mets on a waiver claim on July 21 and turned in his strongest big league work of the year, striking out 13 batters in eight innings across six appearances. The Mets designated him for assignment on August 2, and the Baltimore Orioles claimed him on August 5, bringing him back to the organization where he had pitched in 2022.
Garcia’s 2025 campaign highlights both his strikeout ability and the volatile nature of life on the waiver wire. With several Major League appearances already logged and a return to Baltimore, he remained positioned to compete for bullpen opportunities as the season progressed.