Hector Garcia Headed Back to Affiliated Ball and Blue Jays Organization
WASHINGTON, Pa. (June 18) – The Washington Wild Things are thrilled and proud to announce the contract of right-handed pitcher Hector Garcia will be purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays, pending the completion of a physical, allowing Garcia to return to affiliated ball after signing as a free agent with the Twins organization back in 2023. Garcia becomes the fourth Wild Thing since the start of the season to have his contract purchased and the 55th overall in franchise history to have his contract bought directly from the Wild Things.
“I’m glad Hector is finally getting this opportunity. He has worked extremely hard since the first day he arrived here,” said Wild Things manager Tom Vaeth. “He filled multiple roles for us and excelled in every single of them. He has been a big part of our success during his time in Washington and I expect continued success with the Blue Jays organization. We thank Hector for all of his efforts and can’t wait to watch his progress as he continues to chase his dream.”
Garcia will be the second (Corey Bachman, 2008) to head to the Toronto farm system from Washington with a contract purchase. He had appeared in seven games this season for the Wild Things and, until his removal from the active roster, had the third-best ERA in the Frontier League, behind teammates Kobe Foster (0.62) and Maddox Long (1.32) with a 1.33 ERA in 27 innings pitched.
The righty and former Hope International standout was 3-1 in his seven outings, three of which were starts. He allowed 18 hits in 27 innings and just four runs while he walked five and struck out 33. He had a 13.0 innings scoreless streak at one stage and won the Frontier League Pitcher of the Week Award for the week ending May 24, which followed his first pro start. In that game, he allowed just one baserunner, a first-inning single, and struck out six over a career-best six innings, which he later toppled with seven innings of one-run ball at Lake Erie May 30.
The 2025 season was his first full pro season, and it came with the Wild Things. He was 3-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 40 appearances with 10 games finished, three saves, 35 hits allowed, 19 walks issues and 62 strikeouts in 48 innings. He was, statistically, Washington’s most reliable and best reliever. He pitched in two games for the FCL Twins in 2023 before a knee injury cost him the rest of 2023 and 2024.
Hector pitched four seasons at Hope International and was a two-time NAIA All-America Honorable Mention selection and GSAC Pitcher of the Year. He was 18-1 over four seasons with a 3.00 ERA in 46 games (24 games started). He had three collegiate complete games, a shutout, five saves and in 180 innings, fanned 272 (111 in 2022) with just 55 walks and 109 hits against. He allowed three runs on six hits in 14.2 innings with three walks and 22 tickets in the Cape Cod League in 2023 before being signed by the Twins. He pitched for Kokomo in the Northwoods League in the summer of 2022 and was 1-2 with a 2.81 ERA in nine outings, totaling 36 strikeouts in that work.
The Wild Things congratulate Hector on his contract purchase and wish him the best as he gets his second chance in affiliated baseball in pursuit of a dream to make the big leagues. He will make 14 former Wild Things in affiliated ball at the time of this release and once the purchase goes through.
Spencer Bivens (2020-21) and Turner Hill (2023 ST) are both with Triple-A Sacramento in the Giants’ system. Joe Campagna (2020-21) and Dariel Fregio (2023-24) are both with Double-A Erie in the Tigers’ organization. Alex Carrillo (2024) is with Triple-A Syracuse in the New York Mets’ organization. Trey Cooper and Alex Ungar, who both had their contracts transferred this offseason to the White Sox, are with High-A Winston-Salem. Brent Francisco (2025) is with the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels for the Twins, Austin Kitchen (2020) with Triple-A Tacoma for the Mariners and Isaac Mattson (2022) in the bigs with the Pirates.
Garcia is the fourth to go since the start of the season, joining RHP Andrew Herbert (Class A Delmarva, BAL), IF Graham Brown (High-A Cedar Rapids, MIN) and LHP Tyler Davis (High-A Greenville, BOS).
The 24th season of Wild Things baseball in the MLB-partnered Frontier League is underway with more great baseball and entertainment to come. For updates, other information and more, visit washingtonwildthings.com or follow the team on social media at facebook.com/WashingtonWildThings or @WashWildThings on other platforms.
Go Wild at washingtonwildthings.com.
