Athletics infielder Dérmis Garcia has been outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas, according to the transactions log at MLB.com. That indicates he’s gone unclaimed on waivers after being designated for assignment on Monday.
Garcia, 25, signed a minor league contract with Oakland heading into 2022. A longtime Yankee farmhand, the right-handed hitter had topped out at Double-A in the New York system. Garcia hit well with Las Vegas to earn his initial MLB call last July. He got into 39 games and tallied 125 plate appearances but struggled in his first crack at big league arms. Garcia hit .207/.264/.388 with five home runs, showing solid power but punching out at an unacceptable 44% clip.
The A’s carried him on the 40-man roster for the entire offseason. He was optioned to Las Vegas to start this year. He’s off to a .242/.329/.500 start in 70 plate appearances with the Aviators. That’s a reasonable line on the surface but a little below-average in one of the minors’ most favorable home parks for hitters. Garcia had also struck out 24 times (34.3%) while drawing only five walks through the first few weeks of the year.
Garcia has never previously been outrighted and doesn’t have three years of MLB service. As a result, he doesn’t have the right to refuse the assignment in favor of free agency. He’ll remain in Las Vegas and try to work his way back onto the 40-man roster at some point during the season. Garcia would be eligible for minor league free agency at the end of the ’23 campaign if he’s not added back to the roster.
Good. I like Dermis staying with the A’s. Plenty of opportunities right now…
If they had even okay pitching
Eppie Dermis peels off to AAA by the skin of his teeth!