Christian
Garcia

When the stakes are highest, true competitors rise and Garcia did exactly that in a statement performance for Clairemont. Pitching on just two days’ rest after throwing four innings out of relief Monday in an extra inning victory, the USD commit turned in a masterclass effort, tossing a complete game one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts to put Clairemont in the driver’s seat for the City League championship. Garcia showed grit, command, and elite pitchability in one of the most dominant outings of the spring. The right-hander sat 87-88 mph with the fastball and touched 91 early, flashing late ride and excellent life through the zone. Even into the 7th inning, Garcia was still touching 89, showing consistent tempo from first pitch to the final out. He worked the fastball to both sides of the plate, getting swings and misses above the hands and late barrels on the inner half. His ability to move it around while maintaining velocity allowed him to control at-bats and stay efficient throughout. Garcia’s slider was the true separator in this outing. A 75-77 mph weapon with tight spin and sharp horizontal movement. He threw it 50-55% of the time, frequently going to it in two-strike counts and using it as both a chase pitch and a backdoor offering. The confidence in the slider was evident, and it repeatedly induced awkward swings and weak contact. He most likely used it at a higher clip in the start than usual due to the shorter rest and not wanting to lose the fastball command late. His feel for spin and sequencing was well above average, and the consistency of shape and depth throughout the game made it a legitimate plus pitch. Beyond the stuff, Garcia’s poise and pitchability stood out. He attacked hitters with intent, worked quickly, and never shied away from big moments — even on short rest. With the game on the line and playoff implications in the balance, Garcia delivered not only in stuff but in presence. On the season, Garcia has been nothing short of dominant: a 7-1 record, 1.17 ERA, and 97 strikeouts over 48 innings pitched. Those numbers speak volumes, but his performance in high-leverage moments tells the full story. He’s a strike-thrower with feel for both pitches and an advanced understanding of how to attack lineups. Garcia continues to prove he’s a big-game performer — one who can carry a staff and command the moment. As postseason play approaches, Clairemont has one of more battle-tested arms in San Diego that they can rely on. This outing only added to an already stellar resume.

Positional Profile: RHP/3B
Body: 6-2, 185-pounds. Lean, projectable frame that should continue to develop nicely.
Hit: LHH. Neutral to start, medium-high hands with toe-tap load. Some hand movement before slotting into launch position. Level barrel path and gets into lower half well. 
Power: 84.00 max exit velocity, Current gap to gap power with more potentially on the way.
Arm: RH. INF - 81.00 mph. OF - 78.00 mph. Short, whippy arm action that has the potential to stick at a corner IF spot.
Defense: Moved around well, fielded balls cleanly and in rhythm. Quality first step and above-average actions for class.
Run: 7.97 runner in the 60.

Delivery: Simple, efficient, and under control delivery. Basic side step with a medium-high leg kick. The back foot stays connected to the ground during drive and rotates around a stable front side. Quiet head with a little bit of late effort.
Arm Action: RH. Above-average arm speed. Medium length with some whip. Gets up clean and spirals out nicely with a clean deceleration.
FB: T80, 78-79 mph. Averaged 79.1. Above-average both ride and run. Outlier combo of movement that typically performs well up/into righties and up/away to lefties.
SL: 67-70 mph. Average spin. Positive induced vertical break (4") with some horizontal sweep (5.1"). Good feel for strikes.
CH: 69-70 mph. 10 mph velocity difference with a 13" difference in induced vertical break. quality offering that should be used consistently.