Who is Julian Garcia? Pitcher impresses for Reds' Triple-A Louisville

The Cincinnati Reds are promoting right-handed pitcher Julian Garcia from Triple-A Louisville ahead of their three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park, according to a report late June 21 from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.

Garcia has impressed this season for the Bats, posting a 3.03 ERA with 12 walks, 54 strikeouts and four home runs allowed over 35 2/3 innings.

Garcia has made 19 of his 21 appearances in relief for Louisville. In the longest of his two starts, he pitched three innings.

Garcia posted a 3.38 ERA in four Spring Training appearances for the Reds.

What to know about Garcia, who turned 31 years old in May:

Garcia made 41 appearances, including 31 starts, over two seasons for the independent Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association in 2024 and 2025.

Buckle up if the Reds don’t finish the month hot. Here’s a lineup of trade chips that could be involved in serious rumors, if not on the move, via The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer.
First up:
RHP Brady Singer (1 year/$12.75 million)

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Buckle up if the Reds don’t finish the month hot. Here’s a lineup of trade chips that could be involved in serious rumors, if not on the move, via The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer.
First up:
RHP Brady Singer (1 year/$12.75 million)

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Brady Singer is a free agent after this season and not a strong candidate for a qualifying offer or extension offer because of the Reds’ depth of young, controllable starting pitching options heading into next year.

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3B/DH Eugenio Suárez (1 year/$15 million)

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The reunion with Eugenio Suárez was a win-now move. But instead he would now become a way to recoup about $5 million in prorated salary after ownership stretched the budget for the the veteran free agent.

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LHP Caleb Ferguson (1 year/$4.5 million)

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After spending the first two months on the injured list with an oblique injury, Caleb Ferguson pitched well, putting him in position to be valued highly enough for a third straight summer move.

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RHP Pierce Johnson (1 year/$6.5 million)

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Until landing on the IL, Pierce Johnson was one of Francona’s most trusted leverage relievers. And contenders will look at his 1.50 ERA in 12 postseason appearances when engaging in talks with the Reds.

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LHP Brock Burke (1 year/$2.325 million)

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Brock Burke been a workhorse for Francona’s injury-hammered bullpen, looking exceptional at times, albeit also surrendering too many walks.

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1B/DH Nathaniel Lowe (1 year, $1.75 million)

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Signed as a free agent after spring training camp opened in February, Nathaniel Lowe looked like a redundant roster piece until proving his value to a slumping lineup by earning increasing playing time after the season began until becoming a regular.

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C Tyler Stephenson (1 year/$6.8 million)

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Tyler Stephenson, the Reds’ 2015 first-round draft pick, has developed into a productive starting catcher in his career. But extension talks in recent years have gone nowhere.

He also posted a 2.35 ERA in nine appearances in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

The Reds signed Garcia in 2025 and assigned him to Double-A Chattanooga after he struck out 163 and walked just 32 over 111 2/3 innings for the Monarchs last season while posting a 3.39 ERA.

Garcia set a Monarchs record with the 163 strikeouts in 2025. He was four strikeouts shy of an American Association record, set in 2017 by current Texas Rangers pitcher Tyler Alexander.

Garcia posted a 1.13 ERA with 21 strikeouts and four walks in 16 innings for the Lookouts in 2025.
in the 10th round of the 2016 draft.

Garcia pitched two seasons at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Garcia pitched in the minors for the Phillies from 2016 to 2022.

The Boston Red Sox selected former Red Santiago Espinal 11 picks after the Phillies took Garcia.

None of the players in the Reds’ 2016 draft class are on Cincinnati’s current 40-man roster. The Reds’ first-round pick in 2016, Nick Senzel, is playing for the Lexington Legends.

Garcia has pitched twice at the Triple-A level: in 2021 for the Phillies’ affiliate in Lehigh Valley, and this season for Louisville.

He struggled with his command at Lehigh Valley, and the Phillies released him less than one year later.

He missed the 2023 season before joining the Monarchs’ bullpen in 2024. By the start of the 2025 season, he was the Monarchs’ ace.

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Julian Garcia, Louisville right-handed pitcher, joining Reds