Red Sox Prospect Gets Crushing Update With Season-Ending Injury
By Ryan Bunton
The Boston Red Sox farm system got some devastating news on Thursday, as 19-year-old catcher Johanfran Garcia has suffered a "significant knee injury" that will require surgery and force him to miss the remainder of the season.
I was told it was a “significant knee injury” and Johanfran Garcia will undergo surgery. He’s out for the season https://t.co/0LjsMBtJhE
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) May 9, 2024
Garcia was carted off the field last week after injuring his right knee while running the bases.
In 14 games with the Single-A Salem Red Sox in 2024, Garcia is hitting .385/.467/.596 with two home runs and five RBI. The catcher is Boston's 23rd-ranked prospect, with an MLB ETA of 2027. Garcia was a part of the team's 2022 international signing class out of Venezuela, receiving a $850,000 signing bonus. He joined his older brother - Jhostynxon Garcia, an outfielder - in the Red Sox system and the pair have been teammates in Salem.
Johanfran Garcia's scouting report highlights his natural power, which is also apparent in the highlight tape compiled by MLB.com.
Boston currently has two catchers ranked above Johanfran Garcia in their prospect rankings that will expectedly make their debut with the big league first. Kyle Teel was selected by the Sox 14th overall in last summer's draft after a distinguished collegiate career with the Virginia Cavaliers. Teel, Boston's third-ranked prospect, is currently playing with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. Nathan Hickey, the Sox' 16th-ranked prospect, is currently starting at Triple-A. Both backstops have an estimated MLB ETA of 2025, per MLB.com.
Garcia's delayed timeline (especially relative to Teel and Hickey) means that the Red Sox should be unaffected at the major league level in the immediate future, but it is still crushing to seen a promising prospect lose a key year off of his development, especially after such a strong start to the season.
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