Blue Jays select Santiago Garcia 372nd overall in 2026 MLB Draft
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Jul 12, 2026, 16:30 EDTUpdated: Jul 12, 2026, 16:54 EDT
For the second time on Sunday, the Toronto Blue Jays dipped into the collegiate pitching pool.
With their 12th-round selection, 372nd overall in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Blue Jays selected left-handed pitcher Santiago Garcia from Louisiana State University.
The 21-year-old transferred to LSU from the University of Oregon before the 2026 season and pitched in 21 games with the Tigers. Over 21 outings, Garcia went 1-1 with a 5.96 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP.
Garcia picked up two saves and was able to strike out 35 batters across his 22.2 frames last season. One area of concern for Garcia was the control he displayed, as the lefty allowed 17 walks, which led to his numbers becoming inflated during his first season with the Tigers.
While Garcia wasn’t used in either of the Tigers’ two contests in the SEC Tournament, his last appearance came in the final game of the regular season against the No. 9 ranked Florida Gators. Garcia turned in a pitching line of 0.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, but also hit a batter.
Garcia’s fastball generally sits in the 92-93 MPH range and topped out at 96 MPH, giving him the ability to miss bats. With a curveball that sits 79-81 MPH, Garcia will need to find a higher ability to throw those for strikes as his complex delivery gave him troubles throughout the year.
Through two NCAA seasons, Garcia went 4-1 with a 4.96 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Over his 52.2 innings pitched, Garcia punched out 75 batters and will bring some intrigue from the left side due to that ability. The slot value for Garcia’s selection sits at $150,000.