Adolis Garcia has been among the best power hitters in Major League Baseball over the past three seasons. He ranks 12th in the majors in home runs with 97 over the past three years, having launched at least 27 in all three seasons.
This postseason, the Rangers outfielder has put himself further in the national spotlight. He has slugged eight home runs in his first 14 postseason games, including five in the ALCS en route to being named the series MVP and powering Texas to the World Series.
Garcia has taken a unique path to MLB stardom. He spent time playing baseball in Japan, defected from Cuba to play professional baseball and was designated for assignment twice before he became an established regular in the big leagues.
MORE: The story and meaning behind Garcia's 'El Bombi' moniker
How did Garcia go from unheralded prospect to feared slugger? Here's what you need to know.
Where is Adolis Garcia from?
Garcia is from Ciego de Avila, Cuba. His father, Jose Garcia, had played baseball for Camaguey in Cuba, while his older brother, Adonis Garcia, played for Ciego de Avila.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Adolis Garcia began playing for Ciego de Avila, and at 22 years old, he helped lead the team to a Serie Nacional Championship. Adonis Garcia had defected from Cuba in 2010, where he wound up signing with the Yankees.
Adolis Garcia defection
In April 2016, Garcia signed with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. He spent only 32 games with the Giants in 2016, and per the Morning News, he struggled with the culture and food in Japan.
Garcia got on a return flight to Cuba, which included getting on a different plane in Paris. Rather than get on the plane to Cuba, he instead flew to the Dominican Republic. He had planned to meet his wife, Yasmarys, who would travel to Haiti and cross over to the Dominican Republic.
"I was determined to do what I wanted to do," Garcia said, per the Morning News. "There's a moment when your family and the things you leave behind kind of 'interfere,' but when I started to think about the future and what I wanted to do it helped me a lot.
"At first you feel a little fear," Garcia said. "It's a decision that can change everything in your life. If you could go back in time and didn't have to do it the way it had to be done, you wouldn't. But at the end of the day, you feel good because it's for the sake of your family, your future, and to make your dream come true."
MORE: How Garcia became one of MLB's biggest bargains
Garcia and his wife lived in the Dominican for several months to establish residency so he'd be eligible as an international free agent. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 20 player in Cuba in the April 2015 rankings. They described him as a player with electric tools, praising his above-average speed, rocket arm and his impressive bat speed, though it noted there were concerns over his swing-and-miss issues.
Once Garcia was officially declared an international free agent by MLB, he signed a deal with the Cardinals for $2.5 million and arrived in the U.S. In 2017, he made his Minor League Baseball debut, playing first for the Springfield Cardinals in Double-A before being moved up to Memphis.
Adolis Garcia early MLB career
Garcia rushed through the minors. Between Double- and Triple-A in 2017, he slashed .290/.340/.476 with 15 home runs and 15 steals in 124 games. The next year, he spent 112 games in Triple-A, launching 22 homers and posting a .256/.281/.500 slash line with 10 stolen bases. The Cardinals called him up to make his MLB debut on Aug. 8, 2018, and he went 0-for-4.
On Aug. 10, Garcia came in as a pinch hitter against the Royals and picked up his first MLB hit, blooping a base hit between the second baseman and center fielder.
He spent the remainder of the season in the majors but finished with only two hits in 17 at-bats.
Garcia spent the entire 2019 season in Triple-A, hitting a career-best 32 home runs with a solid .253/.301/.517 slash line, but it was not enough for him to receive a promotion to the big leagues that season. He was designated for assignment after the season and was traded to the Rangers for cash considerations.
In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, during which there were no minor league games, Garcia appeared in only three games for the Rangers, but went hitless. He was designated for assignment in February 2021 but remained with the team. He was added to the active roster on April 13, 2021, and returned to the majors.
It's been all El Bombi since then. He won AL Rookie of the Month in May 2021 and wound up finishing the season with 31 home runs and an impressive .243/.286/.454, earned an American League All-Star spot and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting.
He has had back-to-back 100 RBI seasons since then, being named an All-Star again in 2023 before playing hero for the Rangers on this World Series run.
