Jhostynxon Garcia, "The Password," is unlocking his potential with the Pittsburgh Pirates, showcasing power and speed as he battles for a major league spot.
With a warm smile, Jhostynxon Garcia extended his hand to a reporter.
“Hi, I’m Jhostynxon,” the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie outfielder said at spring training in Bradenton, Fla. “JOES-tin-son.”
Garcia then paused after giving the phonetic pronunciation of his name.
“Or you can call me The Password,” Garcia said.
In a sport short on good nicknames, Garcia has one of the best. Boston Red Sox fans called Garcia “The Password” because of his unique first name and its unusual spelling.
The Red Sox traded Garcia to Pittsburgh in the offseason, but the nickname stuck. Garcia doesn’t mind.
“I think it’s funny,” said Garcia, a Venezuelan, in limited English.
While the nickname might be Garcia’s calling card at this stage of his career, he is showing that he is more than just a gimmick. The strong-bodied right-handed hitter has been a standout at the Pirates’ camp.
Garcia is 7 for 13 in Grapefruit League play with one home run, six runs scored, and three stolen bases. While they are just spring training games, the 23-year-old has opened Pittsburgh's eyes.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora is not surprised, though.
“He has a chance to be really good,” Cora told Pirates Roundtable. “He has power; the ball jumps off his bat. The key for him is reducing strikeouts. If he does, he can hit in the majors.”
Again, it’s a very small sample size in games that don’t count, but Garcia has just two strikeouts in 15 plate appearances with three walks. Garcia’s sample size in the major leagues is also tiny, as he made his debut with the Red Sox last season and went 1 for 7 with a double, two walks, and five strikeouts.
Baseball America ranks Garcia as the Pirates’ No. 5 prospect. He was available via trade because the Red Sox had a surplus of outfielders: left fielder Roman Anthony, center fielder Rafaela Ceddane, right fielder Wilyer Abreu, designated hitter Jarren Duran, and reserve Masataka Yoshida.
Garcia could make the Pittsburgh's opening-day roster as a bench player and serve as the short side of a center field platoon with left-handed-hitting Oneil Cruz.
“The opportunity is much better here,” Garcia said. “All I want is a chance to be in the big leagues.”
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