It’s Number 6 in the year that Little Guys Rule: I also put Saylor and Lopes on the list, but you can’t ignore Justin Garza, who sat 94 in his one-inning look.
Why: You can’t ignore 94. He’s listed at 5-10 but gets the most out of that frame because he has a naturally fast, whippy and strong arm. He’s a smooth guy who isn’t afraid to work fast, throw strikes, and pitch inside. I love his competitiveness. He pitches with a grudge and I like it. He’s a textbook example of how young pitchers should attack hitters. He’s a semi-windup guy who gets on top of the ball, works downhill, flashes a 76-79 slider and an 80-81 straight change. You want to dismiss him at first glance but you can’t. Some pro scouts will hate on him for the lack of height and there’s not a whole lot he can do about that. They can love his arm but will say that his body and potential lack of durability worries them. Indeed, it is all about role for Garza. He either needs to prove to them he can handle a 150-inning workload as a college pitcher or he needs to accept a likely bullpen profiling as a young pro.
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