Reds promote longtime minor league standout who's earned every bit of this chance

It's rare when a player makes his Major League debut at the age of 31, but that's the reality Julian Garcia is about to experience once the Cincinnati Reds select his contract from the Louisville Bats before Monday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Reds are expected to call-up Garcia this week. The right-hander is not part of the team's 40-man roster, so a corresponding move will need to be made before the transaction becomes official.

Garcia was selected in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by Philadelphia Phillies after spending two seasons at Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado. He slowly worked his way up through the Phillies' minor-league system, and reached the Triple-A level in 2021.

But Garcia's lack of minor-league success forced the Phillies to send him back to Double-A in 2022, and after sitting out in 2023, he ended up playing in the independent leagues in 2024 before signing with the Reds last year.

Garcia made three appearances for the Chattanooga Lookouts in 2025 and recorded 21 punch outs over 16 innings. He was a non-roster invite to spring training earlier this year and began his 2026 campaign with the Reds' Triple-A affiliate in Louisville.

Garcia's made 21 appearances for the Louisville Bats this season, and over 35⅔ innings of work, he's posted a 3.03 ERA with a 1.065 WHIP and 54 strikeouts. If his 37.8% strikeout rate from the minor translates to success in the major leagues, Cincinnati may have found a diamond in the rough.

Reds might be repeating bullpen success story all over again

Garcia's ascension to the major leagues is eerily similar to that of former Reds' pitcher Fernando Cruz — a player Cincinnati just saw during their three-game series against the New York Yankees over the weekend.

Much like Garcia, Cruz slogged it out in the minor leagues for years before finally moving to the independent leagues. The Reds liked what they saw and signed him to a minor-league deal in 2022.

Cruz was one of the Reds' two September call-ups later that year, and has developed into one of the top relievers in the game. He's made 36 appearances for the Yankees this season and owns a sparkling 2.20 ERA to go along with a 30.1% strikeout rate. Cruz's split-finger fastball is one of the most un-hittable pitches in the majors.

Cruz is proof that perseverance and hard work pays off, and the Reds are hoping to see similar results from Garcia once he makes his Major League debut later this week.

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